The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-02-12
washington Correspondence
delphia Public LEDGER.

successful but solely from seeking tot
infict blow upon his most promising
rival This is Senator Foraker. Forj
the time being he is in the class of
avowed candidates with Senator Knox,
Vice President Fairbanks, Speaker
Cannon, Senator LaFollette, Secretary
Taft and Governor Hughes.
Besides these there are Secretary
COrtelyOu, whose boom was somewhat
promising a few weeks ago, but SUI
fered a radical reverse when President
Roosevelt issued his reiterated refusal
to accept another nomination; former
Secretary of the Treasury Shaw, who
has been flirting with the presidential
bee for several years, and Governor
Cummins, of Mr.. Shaw's State, who is
using a half concealed presidential
candidacy to mask a sure enough can
didacy for the seat in the Senate held
by William B, Allison for the last 30
years or more.
OF the avowed candidates all except
Hughes have made public declarations
of their position on national questions.
Friends of Taft declare that only a
candidate who is clearly and fully for
all the Roosevelt policies can be elect
ed next November Secretary Taft is
| the only aspirant who has put himself
| squarely and unreservedly upon such
a platform. Governor Hughes may
climb up there, too, in his speech to
the New York Republican Club tomor-
row night, but no politician in Wash
ington believes that he will do so.
President Roosevelt and other
friends of Taft believe that any candi-
date who is in the least tarred by the
reactionary brush will be defeated by
! Bryan. Three of the avowed candi-
dates are certainly in that class-Can-
non, Fairbanks and KnOX-KnOX de-
spite the efforts of his boomers to
show how fully he is in accord with
the Roosevelt policies.
Inasmuch as the only indication ne
has given of his position on national
questions had leaned toward opposi-
ton to Roosevelts policies and per-
formances, Hughes, too, is cassed now
as a reactionary. 1t will require an
unequivocal declaration from him to
remove him from that class.
La Toilette cannot be accused of be-
ing a reactionary The trouble with
him is that he is too radical. He
would go much further than the most
advanced position taken by Roosevelt
as yet. For that reason, principally
although other matters are involved
also, his candidacy has not found favo
at the White House. But in the even
of the failure of Taft to capture thu
nomination, the friends Of RooseVel
policies would probably prefer to SCI
La Toilette nominated to any OF TN
reactiOnaries.
: 1t doesn't make any difference wher
Foraker stands. His only purpose l
TO keep as many Ohio delegates iron
Taft as he can. But he is cOmmitte
to vigorous opposition to Roosevelt al
q down the line.
n OF the three dark horse men, nobod
n knows where Shaw stands. From nj
association with Roosevelt while l
the Cabinet it is assumed that he
friendly TO the Roosevelt policies. Br
some of his recent speeches have give
l. other indications Still, it hardl
J. makes any more difference than in I'll
l. Foraker case, for he will have all h
tn,
= the delegates from his home State"
p Cummins is a radical Of the LaFo
lette stripe. He has been credited vii
l. being in a working agreement with l.
Ia Toilette for a pool of their strengt
a in Chicago.
Cortelyou is classed as a reaction
. ary despite his presence in the Cal
- met. This is because the Treasul
portfolio has thrown him into associ
ton with New York financiers al
g earned him the credit of being line
" up with Wall street. A large elemel
: of injustice is in this brandiEg b
cause Cortelyou, though the publ
may not know il, sympathizes strong
with that element which sees a bos
man whenever Wall street is mentio
ed II would surprise most men, Il
instance. to tell them that CortelyC
has a genuine interest in the cause
labor, but it is the truth.
10 The first State convention will NJ
. be held for month yet Nine hundrC
: and seventy-eight of the $50 delegat
2 TO the Chicago convention yet ave
B be chosen. Taft has scored the fr
q advantage. He has the only delegat
. so far elected-two from the Four
= Congressional District Of Oklahom
& who We're chosen the other day and /
i structed for him. He did have S
q more from Alaska and Speaker Ca
! non had two from Michigan, but tn
were elected before the Republican N
tioUal Committee had issued its &c