The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-02-08
TAFT AND HUGHES
IN THE RUNNING,
KN0X,PERHAPS
Washington View Of the Presi.
Dental Candidates
THROUGH J, HARRIS GLASSES
Roosevelt Most Popular Man In the
World, But His Support Is an In
Jury to Secretary TAFT.

Editor Banner:-ln response 10
your invitation. | will make an effort
to give you an idea of the present
status of the presidential race at this
early date, and from this geographic
cal point of view In the first place,
any and all representations must
necessarily be pure guesswork. There
are only rumors and smoke now. and
nothing has begun to crystallze yet
We can only judge and infer from
surface indications. Primarily. let
me speak of Roosevelt.
Distance usually lends encGantment
to the popular view of hero, and
very likely there is more blind ad
herence to the every act of the presi
dent the farther one gets from Wash
ington Nevertheless, vast majority
of the people Of this city. even, includ
ing congress. will agree with Elen that
he Is the most remarkable man in the
modern history of any nation. am of
vent of the Christian Erahas had SO
many devoted and enthusiastic follow
ers. At no time has he had the rank
and file of the people of this country
behind him as he has today. And that
Is saying a great deal.
His recent message largely :ncreas-
ed his popularity. Necessarily, too,
1t revived talk of a third term. The
people argue in this wise: We have
tried Roosevelt and found him true to
us. He is exactly the man We want
and need. Why should we be com.
PEELED to take something Just as
business? We want him to keep on
In that way. and finish 1t up. Possib-
ly somebody else might do it as well,
but why compel us to try an expert.
ment? Why, indeed? Such an argu-
ment as this is hard to get around.
This sort of talk and feeling, which
is inevitable, Injuries any movement
in favor of Taft or anybody else whose
sole stock in trade is the promise 10
carry out "Roosevelt's policies" Thu
people will cooperate with Roosevelt
In everything except taking phono-
graphic record of him at his request
and being satisfied with that.
Personally and in every way except
as presidential legatee there Is no
more popular man before the public
than Jolly Bill Taft" The only OBJ
lection to him is the apparent fact
that he is being forced on them by
official dictatorship. They object to
the establishing Of the precedent that
the presidency can be willed away,
that a president can name his sue
cessor over the heads of the people,
IL 1t were not for that feeling and that
fear, Taft would certainly win. AS it
is, very much doubt it. If delegates
were elected and the convention held
today, he might possibly be but there
are four months to the convention and
believe the opposition will be able 10
prevent it. Still, 1t is idle to predict.
The situation will change every day
from now to the convention. I may
add however, In this connection, that
the impression is that Taft would be
much stronger out from under the
shadow of Roosevelt than as his pro-
tege. He is big enough to stand
alone.
1t is certain that the managers of
all the various booms are continually
extending them by burrowing in vari
GUS directions, but the result of their
efforts will not be known until the
delegates begin to be elected. Hughes
stands mighty we'll here, and appar
emily so throughout the country. To-
day he is good first choice, and a
still better second choice. Much how.
ever, depends on how New York ser.
yes him. Looks as II he would have
three-quarters of New England, sure.
But all this may fade away. Fair.
banks will show up we'll all over the
country outside New England and the
favorite son states. Taft will have
Ohio pretty nearly II not quite solid,
but unless he patches up his trouble
with Foraker the state might throw
him at the polls. He has been offered
the olive branch by Foraker and dis.
dained it. If he persists, his will be
the sole responsibility.
Knox stands pretty well, among
those who know him. There is no bet
ter presidential timber anywhere than
Knox. He would make an admirable
president, and stranger things have
happened than rally on Knox in the
convention. Cannon will have a good
bunch Of votes to begin with, but II
is predicted that they will 60 to pieces
early.
AS for the democracy, 1t is kicking
around In Bryan's stomach, and cam
get out 1t realizes its condition but
is helpless. The brains of the party
talk Johnson, or Gray but their voict
is swallowed up in the ceaseless dir
for another burial in the last ditcf
with Bryan. AS democratic news
paper here says, there Is not enough
left OF the democratic party under Bry
ans domination to make a good punch
ing bag for the republicans to exer
else on"
Finally, though accused of It, I an
not "the mouthpiece of the delegation
from Vermont In congress. and canno
undertake to speak their views.
have reason to believe, however, tina
they are in favor only of the very bes
man for the party to nominate at Chi
cago, taking everything into considera
ton at that time. Such should be tn
present platform of every member Q
the party. 1t may be Taft then, 1t ma
be Hughes or any one OF dozen goo
men, and meanwhile we must be cor
tent with the practically certain assul
ance that the next president will be
good, sound, reliable Republican, wit
no strings ON him. John q. Harris.
Washington, d. c., Feb. 7, 1908.