The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-08

WASHlNGlON, Jan. S.-Secretary
Taft's statement that he is at least
passive candidate for the republican
presidential nomination in 1868 has
not created much of a stir among pol
iticians in Washington, where his DO
sition has been thoroughly understood
for long time The objections to
his availability to which he refers in
his formal statement to the press,
means, in part, certain decisions which
he rendered while federal Judge in
Cincinnati. These decisions first as
serted the validity of the doctrine
since affirmed by federal courts gener-
ally that the Injunction IS a proper
weapon for the restraint of organized
labor when engaged in the more vio-
lent forms of strikes. The campaign
which organized labor has made for
the repeal of the injunction statute
grows directly out of the Taft deci-
sions, and so Taft has supposed that
as candidate for the presidency he
would carry handicap. which might
embarrass his party. 1t has been the
opinion of the president and many
others for long time that Taft was
unduly sensitive about these labor de-
cisiOns, and strenuous efforts have
been made to convince him that his
decisions. being eminently just would
not amount to a handicap. His state
ment, however, indicates that these
efforts have only been partially success
full. Another objection to his avail
ability is the active part he has taken
in defending the presidents discharge
of negro troops.
Roosevelt's Favorite.
Secretary Taft's statement was
called out by an article in the Cleve-
land Leader from it's Washington cor
respondent. and supposed to have been
inspired. in which it was stated
boldly that Taft would be a candidate
in 1908.
Notwithstanding Secretary Taft's
statement it is we'll known that he is
the favorite of President Roosevelt.
who has been quietly doing all that
he could for many months to get him
into the limelight and keep him there.
AS a presidential candidate. Secre'
tary Taft will stand for continuation
of the Roosevelt policies; in short. ne
will be the candidate of the radical ell
ement in the republican party. as
against some such man as Vice-Pres
dent Fairbanks, who will be the candi
date of the conservative element.
Already Secretary Taft has made
himself a name as the most brilliantly
successful exponent OF president
pO]icips who has been in the American
cabinet for a, generation. He has or
numerous occasions taken hold OF the
policies. first of Mckinley and then OF
Roosevelt. and in explaining and de
Tending them in public addresses anc
state papers made them seem to De
his very own In fact. so succesSfu
has he been in this respect that the
charge is sometimes heard that ne
lacks initiative: that he has no 1nVen
ton; and is nothing more than tact
ful and resOurceful follower OF VINO
over hanpens to be his leader. Ia1t
friends however. insist that this
charge is grossly unfair, and that tnei'
man is as aggressive and as resource
fu, as Roosevelt himself and the onl!
man now mentioned whose election
would insure a continuation OF the pol
;cies for which Roosevelt has stood tol
years.
Hostility Expected.
# is this feeling which has brough'
Roosevelt himself to the support o.
Taft for 1908, and in that year IL u
very likely that the conservatives anu
tho radicals of the republican part!
will he of the highest interest and I'm
nortance. not merely to the party ou
also to the country.
The only other avowed candloa'e ut
to this time has been Mr.. FAIRBANKS
who is the representative OF the coh
servative element of the party MI
Fairbanks. has had his frlends d. "o''
for q couple of years perfecting or
oaDiZ1tlOlS In the SOuCHSAA o~
that work has been greatly en-
couraged of late by reason OF sou'hel
republican opposition to the piesl
dents dismissal of battalion Oh .ns
Twenty-fifth infantry, coiored. lhe
republican party in the south is con
trolled by the negroes. and 1t IS very
certain that if that section were sun
to choose delegates'to republican I'D
tional convention, not single noose
volt admirer would have ghost VI
show of selection. Venal negro new
naners all over the south ana IN III.
Oh il valley have been securing afo !.
tho work of destroying Roosevelt -.
srence among the colored people an IL,
thew are doing their work with WIN
II seems now as if the conser' a'i's
element in the party will con'ro' ne
y, all of the southern delegates 10 'ii'
1908 convention