The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-10
WHICH MOST AVAILABLE
NOW CHIEF QUESTION
Republicans Have Many Mis-
givings About Their Candidate,
While Many Democrats Fear
Bryan Cannot Win-No
More Third Term
Talk.
Times-Dlspatch Bureau.
Mtjnsey Building.

lneaHY q certainty, ana tNeA
less vigorous claims of the OPP
position Of Mr.. Bryan that Governor
Johnson, or Judge Gray. or Senator
Culberson, or some Democrat other
than the statesman from Nebraska, Will
be made the nominee or the Denver
convention. the old stagers in politics
have settled down to the conviction that
William Howard Taft or William Jen-
nings Bryan Will be the next President
of the United States.
There is not whisper of third term
heard any more. 1t Is very doubtful
whether Mr.. Roosevelt could be nomi-
mated were he to announce to-day that
he would accept an offer to make him
once again the standard bearer OF his
party. The old stagcrs mentioned
above are giving themselves more con-
Germ over the availability OF Mr.. Bryan
and Secretary Taft than they are CIV
ing TO the subject OF who VIII be the
nominees, since they regard the latter
as fully settled. The Republican party
has not entered upon presidential
contest in many years with as many
misgivings
The availability of Secretary Taft Is
most seriously doubted by thousands
Of Republicans. This belief strengthens
as Secretary Taft becomes better
known He has not made as successful
n campaign as was expected. and while
lie has apparently captured the Re
publican nomination the victory has
been achieved by his friends and by
Federal oficeholdcrs, rather than
through his own efforts; his speeches
have not been eUective as vote-getters.
Tnft Does Well When Absent.
There has been much mystery sur
rounding the object OF Secretary Tafts
present visit to Panama. 1t was well
known that there was nothing In the
situation there TO require personal at
tention OF the Secretary OF War 1t
has been broadly limited. and IT is
quite generally believed. that Score
tary Taft's friends like to have him
out of the country. He gets more dele
gates when away frcm home than he
does when allowed TO make his fight
in person.
lie is not a convincing speaker, nor
Is he nearly so successful as a "mIxe-''
as he was expected 10 be.
Some OF the opponents OF Secretary
Taft's nomination insist that his
!oiiity and geniality are more poses
than realities. His laugh. like that of
Serene Payne, does not mean anything
In particular. 1t does not go far be-
hind his teeth. Those who know Mr..
Taft best do not hesitate to say that
from his college days to the present
he has always been hilariously, ex-
uberantiy, enthusiastically and whole
heartedly for William Howard Taft.
In the course of a long public career
he has never held but one elective Of
flee.
While on the United States bench,
Judge Taft succeeded in making about
as many enemies as any man could
sal .a INK hc q me-
length of time. He secured the hearty
Iii will Of about every workingman in
the country, and there are indications
that he has retained this. despite
strenuous efforts OF his friends to
obliterate this sentiment. The sincere
opposition Of the labor people TO Sec
rotary Taft has manifested Itself on
numerous occasions In the past few
months, and is likely to prove most
potent faotor in the coming campaign.
.rhc Wall street Handicap.
The fact that the Influence of Wall
Street is being eXerted to procure the
nomination of. Secretary Taft would or
itself start him in the race with a
fearful. handicap That Wall Street is
behind his candidacy there can be no
doubt. There has never been any that
the United States Steel Corporation
was fr!endliest to his candidacy. The
fact that. the Influence of the street
generally was being used in behalf OF
his candidacy for the nomination, and
would be exerted to procure his elec-
ton. became known more recently.
The very influence which proved
most powerful in procuring the nomi-
nation Of Secretary Taft will prove
. source of weakness in his campaign
FOR election. Undoubtedly, Federal
nftice-holders have had most to do with
selecting Taft delegates to Chicago.
T,ederal office-holders are VIGOROUSLY
impotent at election time In doubtful
Finally this significant fact should
not be lost sight OF;
state delegation from north Of the the
Ohio and Potomac and east Of the
mississippi, not counting his own
stas ee IF 1hH aas H for 81 T. ohio
Instructed for him after .desperat e
fight. but there are indications thai
several Ohio dseg TSe s % peo
cratic era States Of the South. the "sage
brush" and rotten borough States OF
the West, will be chiefly responsible
for making him the nominee OF ms
party.
Democratic Harmony.
The North, the East, the South, and
the West from present a,ppearances
will all be united in nominating Mr.
Brvan There are differences OF optn-
ION among Democrats as to the Wis Is
dom OF nominating Mr.. Bryan, but thc
comparative harmony of the Demo-
cratic party is q subject Of genera
comment among Republicans, to whom
Il is something new. It lis especial !,
striking to them, In view OF the grave
dissenslons in Republican ranks,
which are far moro serious than any
with which the party has had to con
tend with In long years. ft- E.5s ~,
Conditions In the country are very
different from what they We're In 1895
or in 1900, MI. Bryan has twice beer
the unsuccessful candidate of his par
ty, hut 1t has been eight years since
he was candidate, During that tim.
! he has travelled the length and breadth
Of the land, delivering non -nnrtisal
addresses and minglIng with the mel
and women of America. He has be
coma known ito more people than al
most any American who has eve
lived. His personal acquaintance i
wider than that of President Roose
Welt himself. and Mr., Roosevelt is sal,
to know more people than any MAJ
who has ever occupied the presden
tial chair, People have found by per
sonal inspection that MI. Bryan hasn'
got horns. Constant iteration OF hi
4 TX yiawst have A8leOryed tx them In N arg