The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1907-05-31
FAIRBANKS BOOM
in Clever HANDS.
Candidacy of Vice President
Is Not Hampered.
Indiana Man Stands Well East
and West Because Of d.
plomacy In Politics.


are pointing to the fact that he has
the delegation from his own state be-
yond dispute. This is something which
is not so true of the home state of
any of the other presidential posi-
bilities. This means a great deal in
the game of national politics, for the
candidate is left absolutely free to
cultivate friends in other states.
Hughes has bad fight on his hands
in New York. Taft and Foraker are
still scrapping it out in Ohio. Cum
minis and the stand-patters in Iowa
will never cease from troubling but
in Indiana all is peace. Apparently
everybody works but Fairbanks. in
point of fact, the Vice President really
has the only national magazine
which has yet made itself apparent
among the Republicans. Yet the
Fairbanks people have kept away
from favorite sons. They have kept
on good terms with Cannon in ILL
nois, and it cannot be said that they
have maliciously interfered with Taft
in Ohio, Hughes in New York, or Cum
minis in Iowa.
Some skillful hand has been behind
the Fairbanks movement, for in half
a dozen states the Vice-President has
wisely avoided taking part with one
faction or the other. This persistent,
clever work, so much of it under the
surface, with its absence of entangle-
ments, is sure to tell in the long run,
and it is this thing which makes the
Vice-President so strong a possibility
in the presidential race in 1908.
Wherever this genius for political
organization comes from, it does not
originate with the Vice-President him
self. He seldom or never talks per-
soma politics, even with his best
friends. Recently, when the Vice-Pres
ident visited Iowa, he was entertain
ed at the home of Gov. Cummins.
"And do you know" said the COVER
nor to me in some surprise, "the Vice.
President never opened his mouth
about politics while he was my guest"
The same thing always has been
true to Washington. Most of the other
presidential candidates were at least
willing to joke about their own
chances. Not so with the Vice-President
He lodged a direct inquiry every time,
and many of his intimate friends have
been entirely unable to secure from
him the positive declaration that he
wanted their help in the next Repub-
lican national convention.
There is no more familiar fingure on
the streets of Washington than that
of the tall, vigorous, fresh colored, and
well kept Vice-President. Yet he has
no camp followers, no hangers-on, no
political heelers. He has made friends
unfortunately in the senate, both
Democrats and Republicans, and he is
intensely popular, but not at all in a
political way. Everybody in Washing
ton talks about the Fairbanks ma
chine, but there are precious few who
can say that they have heard the
wheels go round.
This curious political condition is
equally noticeable here in Indianapolis
One naturally would expect to find the
Vice Presidents home city a semi-pub-
lie organization, created and managed
for the express purpose of booming
him for the presidency. Yet one can
find nothing half so strenuous as the
Taft organization at Columbus and
Cincinnati.
Indiana is quietly and certainly for
Fairbanks. The tall Senator had a
machine of his own long ago, and II
is so we'll oiled and adjusted it works
without attracting much outside atten-
ton. 1t is probable Taft could come
into Indiana and make a lot of trouble
for Fairbanks. In fact, some of the
Taft people have been urged to start
Just such a fire across the Indiana
line. Thus far they have been too
busy in Ohio to get far beyond their
own State. II they were to trespass
in Indiana 1t is more than likely the
Fairbanks machine would display some
reactionary activity in Ohio, whereas
up to the present time the vice pres
ident has done nothing either to help
or hinder Foraker and Taft in their
internecine battle.
The Vice President is frequently rat
ed as reactionary, and 1t has been
alleged that great railroads and corpor-
alton interests are behind him. That
may be true, but 1t must be remembered
that during the whole Roosevelt admin
istration the Presidents policies have
been constantly supported by the Vice
President. In no case that can re-
member did he antagonize the railroad
bill. pure food measure. meat inspec-
ton law, or any other Of the impor-
tant legislative policies Of the admin