Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-08
CAPITAL CHAT.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

| stakes down in the convention city. But
after all. even with the President as all
powerful over the convention as he was
| over the Chicago convention of 1904
that nominated him, there will lie cpl
sodes and Incidents. 1t will be a har-
monious convention. because the Presi-
dent has fought all other aspirants.
than Secretary Taft, to a Standstill.
But great body Of practically 1000
delegates $50 delegates to be exact--is
alone Of peculiar popular interest No
power on earth can dominate in all de-
tails so many human units There will
be independent Influences, seeking to
carry cut their ideas by schemes and
by maneuvering that convention lead
eIs are bound to watch out for There
will be efforts to break in upon the pre-
arranged program. Then there is al
ways a possibility in such a vast gath.
ering, composed of SO many resource
full men, that the best laid plans even
of a President of the United States
will be overturned in some particulars
The struggle for the mastery of the
National committee is supposed to be
as good as over. The President has
gained a clear majority of that COM
mittee and for about two weeks in ad-
vance of the convention that commit
tee will be in Chicago toiling over the
prcliminares. Presumably it will have
half hundred contests to settle, pos
sibly nearer hundred contests One
can not say yet how numerous they
will be. Some who aspire to be dele
,;e,;v,
| test will lose their ardor before the
| first of June. But there will be con-
| tests enough to weary the National
committee and 10 occupy this high po-
| liIical court for ten days or more.
These hearings, while always more
| or less of d farce, are ever pictur-
esque Sometimes questions of domina-
| ting the state and local organizations
are quite as much at stake as the sup
| port of any presidential candidate
| The contests before a Republican con-
vention are always in the main by
negroes from the South and possess ele-
ments of humOr for all beholders The
local leaders vying with intensity,
make lively picture.
| Four years ago the national commit
| tee made demonstration against
Roosevelt in the opening days of the
| convention period, which proved ex-
| ceedingly entertaining to say the least.
| That kind of a performance may be
repeated in the early days of the COM
ing month. For strongly entrenched
| as the President may be with the ma
tional committee. there are a number
Of recalcitrants among it's so odd MEM
bers. That is why the President is
sending his personal friend, Senator
| Lodge of Massachusetts, on to Chica-
go with the proxy of the national COM
mitteeman from the Philippine Islands,
not only to look after his (the Presi-
| dent'S) personal interests but to help
along toward frictionless and harmO-
NOUS nomination of the Presidents ia
vorite, Secretary Taft.
For one thing, if present plans carry,
there will be a determined and q well
organized effort to stampede the con-
| vention to nominate President Roose-
welt. That is in large part the work
of Secretary Taft's opponents. smart
ing from the wounds the secretary and
his mana gers have inflicted during the
six months battle for the nomination.
| The President intends to see to it that
that effort is headed off early. The
moment Senator Lodge observes any
movement to that end, he will have
the President on the long distance tele-
phone and the power Of the admins
tration will be turned on to electro
| cute the would be actors in such a
drama
All details such as the choice of con-
vention officers, the admission Of spec
tators to the galleries, the selection of
doorkeepers. deputies and messengers,
all comprising quite an army, effective
| in the handling of a convention, will
! be scrutinized. No enemies of the Sec
rotary of War will be allowed on guard
in the strategic positions.
The allied candidates, even though
they have been beaten and put to rout
will make their demonstrations at Chi
cagO. Presidential candidates general
~ fight to the last ditch. There will be
headquarters, brass bands and banners
for Fairbanks, Cannon, Hughes and
LaFollette, all of which will add to
the gayety of the mid-June convention
week.