The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-16

WY 1Ie 70 6'NS'y ~ % 'SSs~' -
the Next Republican National Con-
vention--speaker Cannon as a Posi-
bility--Mueh Dissension In @. o. p.
Ranks--Derocratie Situation Marked
by Unity Of Purpose.
BY WILLIS J. ABBOT.
The presidential purpose Of the
Roosevelt denomination is quite as
much of puzzle today as it was
months ago. True, Mr. Roosevelt has
become absolutely silent on the sub
iect. But, curiously enough, he Is
equally silent about the possible NOM
ination OF his friend Mr.. Taft. Not one
word in behalf of the candidacy of the
secretary of war has been uttered by
any one associated with the White
House circle. Indeed, the Taft candi-
dacy has ceased to be considered seri-
ously by political observers. Mean
time other members of the cabinet are
by direction or indirectlon being Of
fered as candidates for presidential
nomination. Secretary Root has his
boom, one that it seems incredible
should amount TO anything in view of
the record he has made as the attor-
ney for the very sort of corporations
which President Roosevelt has been
attacking. Secretary Cortelyou is much
in the limelight. lie has conferred a
colossal favor on the people of the
United States by taking out of the
United States treasury some millions
of dollars collected from taxpayers
and handing them over TO banks which
were unable to pay back to their de-
positcrs the money they had cheerful
ly received. This action. which has
cost Mr. Cortelyou nothing, has great
ly extended his popularity with the
financial community. Whether lie is as
popular now as lie was when he was
able to secure out of the funds of life
insurance companies some hundreds Of
thousands of dollars for a Republican
campaign fund remains TO be seen.
When he did that lie occupied the COM
paratively unimportant position Of
postmaster general. but now he is sec
retary of the treasury, the most impor-
tant position under the president and
in some ways of almost equal impor-
tance With that of the president.
The Possibilities Of cortelyou.
Do not mistake the fact that George
B. Cortelyou is likely to be very
great factor in the next Republican
national convention. The Republican
party organization Is notoriously con-
trolled by the great financial interests.
The secretary Of the treasury is in
close touch with those interests. Tho
man who prior to becoming secretary
of the treasury was postmaster general
and at the same time chairman of tho
Republican national committee has
some knowledge Of the way in which
delegations are made up and how pat.
ronage can be used. Mr., Cortelyou
has knowledge, industry and power.
1t is difficult for me 10 believe that q
man whose public reputation has been
tarnished, as his, can possibly be elect
cd. 1t is difficult to fancy any holder
of life insurance policy voting for
the man who was willing to take al
most $150000 out of certain life insur-
ance funds in order to elect partisan
president and to make himself great
political power. But. whatever may bo
,the possibilities OF election, the chances
of his nomination are not to be lightly
set aside.
Concerning Cannon.
Outside OF the cabinet circle Wash
ington looks with the utmost interest
on the possibilities of Speaker Can
non as a candidate for the Republican
nomination. A few days ago fourteen
Republican congressman from Illinois
met Mt Chicago and after some debate
declared themselves for the nomina.
tion of the speaker. With his charac-
teristic bluntness and quaintness he
came into the meeting and said: well,
boys will be boys. If you are deter.
mined you must have your own way
Now, consider this Cannon proposition
carefully. His party in his own state
Is back of him as one man. Taft and
Foraksr of Ohio have split their state.
Hughes OF New York has antagonism
at home. Roosevelt has declared his
unwllingness to he a candidate, and
some people take him at his word.
Fairbanks has already the Endorsement
of Indiana, but 1t Is a matter of no.
toriety that there Is revolt against
his domination there and that the elo-
quent Mr.. Beveridge is not wholly en-
thusia site about him.
The one man who at this early date
comes before the people with an abso.
lutely solid state back OF him is Can.
non, whom people in his own party
call affectionately Uncle Joe. But.
more than that, he comes back to con-
gress with the absolute certainty that
he will be reelected speaker. He will
have almost arbitrary power over the
house OF representatives. many Of the
members of which are new men all OF
whom naturally desire committee as.
signments which will give them both
prominence AID influence. Speaker
Cannon will be in q position to take
the least conspicuous member from
Indiana or from Oklahoma and to
make of him prominent figure in the
house. lie will be In a position to see
that a representative from Michigan or
one from Minnesota can he put upon