The Washington herald., 1907-09-30


expressed by some politicians, has al
ready reached formidable proportions.
! The President will deliver at least six
/ speeches, perhaps a dozen, and will visit
as many or more places where the senti-
ment n favor of his nomantion for what
the Hon. Jonathan Bourne. of Oregon. is
pleased to deceive himself into calling "a
second elective term" is supposed to be
strong. It is pretty well understood in
Washington. however. that in none Of
these speeches will Mr. Roosevelt take
the country into his confidence as to his
present sentiments concerning the ex-
pressed desire Of some people to have
him again stand for election 20 the
/ Presidency.
Political observers here have been
watching the third term propaganda and
have devoted themselves to analyzing the
/ probable motives Of the men who have
been most active in pressing it. There
l seems to be little reason 70 doubt that
most of the Republican Congressman who
! are so vigorous in declaring that the
/ President must have another nomination.
and in giving plausible reasons for max
/ ing this contention in the face OF Mr..
/ Roosevelt's formal renunciation Of an in
/ tention 10 accept the Presidential Office
/ again are looking out for their own
/ political fortunes in posing before the
I country as Roosevelt men.
Honestly Seek Nomination,
! A majority Of these third-term boom
/ ers honestly desire that the President
/ shall be renominated next year. bat It is
[ question II they are actuated in this
feeling by any personal love for the
F leader OF their party. They have not
+ forgotten the significance Of the over
whelming vote which Mr.. Roosevelt re-
ceived in 1894 They realize also that ne
I is still extremely popular in certain sec
tions. The Republican Congressman de-
string denomination. or a candidate for
/ the Republican nomination for Congress
whose district is filled with Il strong
Roosevelt sentiment. appreciates the tre-
mendous advantage that would be his
with Theodore Roosevelt as the psrty's
nominee for highest honors and Roose-
welt electors on the same ticket with him
self
II has been source OF amusement 10
those who believe they understand the
situation 20 read third-term interviews
with Republican Congressman or other
Republican Ofceholders or candidates
for Office. who privately condemn the
President and express themselves as out
Of sympathy with the policies he pursues.
President Sure of Self.
The President knows probably the real
feelings OF many Of these political trim
mers. and his sense OF hUmor must en-
able him to chucklc over the attitude in
which they have placed themselves
through the effort to trim their sails to
the Roosevelt winds. But Mr. Roosevelt
does not overlook the advantage which
becomes his through the public utter
ances of these two-faced weIl-wishers.
and he is too thorough a politician 10
cast away the power which 1t gives him
The President has said so often. in an
informal way. that he had no thought OF
going back on the virtual pledge he gave
on the night OF his election for the term
he is now serving that most Of those
here who have heard him repeat his dec
larati0n not 10 accept another nomination
are apparently convinced that ne is al
ready eliminated from any consideration
Of candidates for 1905 His political and
social intimates claim 30 be absolutely
satisfied that he is out Of the race, and
that no consideration save perhaps a for
eigu war would cause him TO yield To
the demand that he again become the
Republican standard bearer.
Fleet Move Considered.
Yet. even among those who share this
belief. there is a feeling Of concern over
the forthcoming demonstration in the
Pacific. and some have not lost sight Of
the circumstance that the battie-ship fleet
will be at its supposed destination a
month or six weeks before the time the
Republican national convention Will b.
held. There is no telling what viii be
the effect in Japan OF the arrival Of the
fleet in the waters Of the Pacific Japa-
nese lingo talk of the character prevalent
last June when the reports that the great
est force of American battle ships ever
gathered together was to steam to the
Western ocean may be revived, and the
outcome OF that revival upon politicians
anxious for their oYn selfish purposes to /
have Mr.. Roosevelt nominated again IS
not difficult to foresee.
But outside of the bearing which a
war scare may have upon Mr.. ROOse-
yelt's political future, the Presidents po-
sition with reference to the Republican
Presidential nomination OF 1908, accord !
ing to those who profess to know mis-
views and are entitled to belief, is very
simple.
Think Taft Winner.
The President and some of his ad- /
visers are represented as convinced that |
Mr. Taft stands better chance of get !
ting the nomination than any other man
who openly or by suggestion is seeking !
TO be regarded as in the running for /
the greatest honor within the gift of /
his party. They are satisfied. apparent
y, that Fairbanks and Cannon are out /
of the race. and they contend that tie /
Knox boom, which gave them great /
concern when it was launched, has not !
been pressed recently to a degree to in +
diCate that it has substance. This ap- /
pears TO leave a clear way for Mr. Taft /!
In these circumstances there would /
seem to be no reason for uneasineSs On /
the part of the Taft boom supporters /
in the administration. But they are un- /
easy, and the cause of their uneasiness I
is Charles f. Hughes.
Gov. Hughes is the one man whose
strength is feared by the President and /
his political lieutenants in the arrange {
ments they are making to control the .
next Republican national convention .
They have watched the growth of the