The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-20

Iican local leaders pounced sayageIy
upon Mr.. Powers and therefore the
Taft boom II the Bay State has had
q setback. Even some OF the pro-
Taft members OF the House from Mas
sachusetts have sent word TO Mr.. Pow
ers to keep out Of their districts by
al means. So the movement has sub
sided and apparently Senator Crane Is
an easy winner. He is a very pro
snti-Taft man now because OF
the attacks the Taft people have made
upon him At first he was kindly dis
posed 10 the Secretary Of War but has
been cajoied. hattered and attaeket@in
turn TIL he is thoroughly aroused
Probably there IS no man in public
life who could have been SO helpful
10 Secretary Taft as Mr.. Crane. He Is
a master hand al politics and more
over is very popular in Congress. He
wanted 10 arrange things 50 that the
Secretary could have had the nominal
ton by making peace with Senator
Foraker. New England would have
fallen into line. There would have been
peace in Ohio and the candidates. OF
other Republicans could have been
gradually undermined so that there
would have been general good feeling
as ii was demonstrated that the Sec
rotary was the greatest favorite.
But anita onisms were provoked on
every hand and the management OF
the Taft boom has kept everybody mad
who has been opposed TO him It is a
long story. extending back to the time
when Congress adjourned last March.
If the Secretary does not get the NOM
Ination, there viii be an important
chapter of political history telling how
the junior Senator from Massachu-
sets prevented il.
The subterranean work Of the boom
ers is very active and comprehensive
at this time. Not a little of it is in
the South. The plans have all been
laid and are now well completed for
eontesting delegations there. wherever
the Administration has driven the Of
fceholders into line for Taft. It is
said that between 20 and 50 contests
from the South are now assured. These
viii inject a tremendous element Of
bitterness into the national convention
If they have TO be fought out there,
as they viii be, unless a majority Of
the uncontested delegates are pledged
TO some candidate before the eonven-
ton meets. It not only bodies trouble
for the convention, but for the party
| in the campaign that win follow.
The Fairbanks boomers. who are
much stronger in the South than mas
been supposed. have already begun 10
show their hands there. They have
| begun 70 demonstrate that they are
| going to hold Kentucky. which adjoins
| Indiana and has generally stood with
/ Indiana in Republican conventions
Although the Taft workers have
| claimed the state, il is beginning TO
/ appear that the Fairbanks organiZa-
ton has had grip on the Kentucky
| organization all along and that the
| Vice Presidents stumping tour Of the
state last autumn. when the Repub-
Iican ticket was elected, has been much
appreciated.
The Taft forces have been slowly
making progress in Ohio and showing
| that the Secretary of War is likely
| TO roll Senator Foraker into the ma
cadam. And yet he fights them al
every turn and is proving anew what
= a doughty anita gonist he can be His
latest stroke was TO gain the party
/ organization in Cayuhoga County. Que
i a. the most populous counties Of the
state. Many Of his friends have de-
serted him. but he fights on and may
get a few OF the delegates The lead
prs at the Capitol, however. are mol
so much concerned now about splitting
the Ohio delegation 10 the convention
for they have put I'D such efrectlVe
barriers to the Taft candidacy else
where that they reason they can keel
nim from getting the nomination q
the FIRST ballot. That has not beer
f,7i4x demonstrated yet, and il may
turn out that the Secretary can ge'
rf7a nomination just as the Presiden'
PREDICTED he would some two weeks
/ ago
The conventions begin this week
which means that results can be tab
z,4a+ed more or less definitely every
v-aalr from now On The Florida STAT
convention meets February s and m
Federal officeholaers are for batth
, ~ova1 TO determine whether the Iou
. ,zaleqa4es at large from that stat
shall be for Taft or uninstrucEed- n
,17,es have their Iieutenants al worl
IN Florida. not SO much with the hop
Of beating the Administration - I
; LAYING broad and deep the 1ouTloa non
for SUCCESSFUL &ol2NSSlF A@~@N-~
r1fttea meetings and state convention
viii follow rapidly, although It viii .
we'll into March before any Of the %
; states act
Beyond ali the uanegvers ana man
: nations in this tremendous struggle
, determine whether the President
! Congress shall control the next con
. vention aid nominate candidate g
President, looms the question OF @hs
: K going 10 happen Il Secretary q
: x defeated. As soon as the allies Gem
onstrate that they have more vote
: than Taft has, L that is denoEastre e
when the first ballot has been Iakei
tba-a viii come the great struggi
: among the allies as to whom they sfla
: arrae upon. Then viii be the oppoi
: unity for real President-rnaklng-
!. Governor Hughes grows in pu9-ae E
: r5r1atfon as his friends hope ne ~
!. crow the effort might be 10 cents
: anon him. But Cannon. who VIII "a ;
r,uca support outside Ct Illinois Woai
: Yield very grudgfngiy, and for one -
: e,r or other the same wou3c De II
: n me other allied candidates An
; 4bara win be the dincuIty among u
EflE