The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-01-31
TAFT IS THE FAv0R|TE
L. p. HUNrFiNOS Hell POPULAR
EAST AND WEST.
Former Mankato Newspaper Man
Thinks War Secretary Viii es
Nominee f,r President.
From THURSDAYS Daily.

taft seems to be the popular can
didate in the east, and / confidently
expect that he will be nominated
| He is looked upon as the most avail
| able man and the man best qualified
to carry out the Roosevelt policies.
This statement was made yesterday
to The Pioneer Press by i. P. Hunt
formerly Mankato newspaper mar
and now interested in the salmon
canning business in Alaska. He has
just returned from trip in the east
visiting at New York, Washington
and Boston. In all of these places he
says he found most of those he talked
with i'm favor of the nomination of
Secretary Taft.
"In New York." he said, 'there. is
naturally considerable sentiment fav-
orable to Governor Hughes, but a
large number of his supporters are
so from local pride and are for Taft
as the second choice, while a large
number of New York people are for
Taft as their first choice because
they do not believe that Hughes can
be nominated. The people generally
are thoroughly in accord with the
presidents policies and want to sell
ect a man as his successor who can
be depended upon to carry out those
policies. In this respect they be-
lieve that Taft fills the bill better
than any of the other candidates.
$50 far as | could learn the people
of Massachusetts also are for TAFT,
and when in Washington I found the
sentiment in favor of the secretary Of
war very strong. In fact, the east
seems to be lining up strongly for
Taft, and this, in connection with
his strength through the west, would
seem to insure his nomination. L
left the Pacific coast about Dec l.,
and at that time Taft was the pop
ular candidate in both Washington
and Oregon.
"Taft is not only man of proved
ability but he has magnetic person
atty and makes friends wherever
he goes. In this respect he reminds
me very much of the late James G.
Blaine. Taft's close personal friend
ship and official relations with Presi-
dent Roosevelt are also factor in
his popularity. The people believe in
the Roosevelt policies and feel that
Taft has perhaps taken an important
part in framing and carrying out
some of those policies. He has been
in close touch with the president
and is thoroughly conversant with the
work, which has been done by the
and which has met
with the popular approval.
"If it be true that Roosevelt has
been a little too vigorous in some of
the actions he has taken, this is due
to his habit of going directly at any
thing which he thinks deserves atten-
ton. Taft is not so brusk and more
and might have been able
to accomplish the same results with
out as much friction.
"From the present indications /
should say that it looks very much
as if Taft would receive the nomina-
ton, an action which would meet
with the approval of all of the people
who believe in the Roosevelt policies
and want to see them carried out
during the next administration"
Mr.. Hunt still calls Mankato his
home, but he spends much of his time
in Alaska looking after the salmon
packing business. He says that this
industry has grown enormously in
that country, the annual product now
being between $S,0OO,0O0 and $l0,0O0,-
600. He expects to start for the
Pacific coast soon and to leave there
for Alaska in the spring.