The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-24

secretary but Tor me tact Liae4A DoA4i
the Senators from Massachusetts, .
which state he is accredited. although
d native Of Ohio, wanted him to re-.
main in the Postoff1ce Department 70
assist Mr.. Meyer in gettMg the hang
OF that big esta bhshment.
F0RAKER's WEAKENED GRIP.
The situation in Ohio is another ele-
ment in the big and interesting game
Of politics that just now entrances Of
fciaI Washington Senator Foraker, as
a candidate for the Presidency, con-
tfnues fighting with his back 10 the
wall. but the Taft forces IN the state
seem TO have things their way as far
as the arrangements for q primary TO
choose delegates to the State conven-
ton are concerned. The primaries are
to be held In February, and the State
convention. for the choice Of four dele
gates at large, in March But the ar
engagements for holding the primary
are regarded by the Foraker people as
unfair and also as Illegal, and they
are making ready 10 Interpose every
possible obstacle. Senator Foraker has
announced that he wiII not observe
some Of the provisions for the prima-
ries, especially about securing sigma
lures for petitions TO place the names
of candidates upon the ballot, and
some Of his followers throughout Buck
eyedom are joining in loud protests
The program IS 10 beat Senator For
aker by any means available and to
handicap him in his race as much as
may be.
All of political Washington is Won
dering what the outcome of the Ohio
balloting viii be and how much
strength Senator Foraker viii show.
Very different estimates reach Wash
ington on that score. Some men believe
he viii win six. eight, ten, perhaps
as many as twelve, delegates out Of
the forty-six, and some Of the more
optimistic believe he will control the
State convention and have the four
delegates at large. IF that should be,
it would sound the knell Of the Taft
boom. Others say that Taft viii
sweep the State and that he viii come
close 10 having a solid delegation.
There is even greater concern among
the well wishers of the Republican
party lest the State be SO torn by fac
lions as to enable the Democrats TO
carry off the electoral vote next No
vember and to choose the majority Of
the Legislature which win have the
choice of a United States Senator TO
succeed Mr.. Foraker. Such dire
prophecies. probably, should be taken
with a grain of salt. Ohio has come
near to going Democratic in a Presi-
Dental election, but Mr.. Cleveland got
but an electoral vote or two and the
others went for the reelection of Pres
ident Harrison.
SOME DISQUIETING NEWS.
With all the good news for the Taft
boom, there is also some disquieting
news Little State though il is, Wyo-
ming is said to be wavering with pros
poets against Taft, although the adj
ministration and the Secretary Of War
were supposed to be exceedingly strong
there, Nebraska, whose State COM
mittee endorsed him, may be snatched
away for another candidate. The Taft
enthusiasm is waning somewhat in
Kansas, one of the first States to de-
clare for him. Opponents Of Taft are
described as trying with some sue
cess to break into Kansas. where it
was thought a solid Taft delegation
was assured. It has been announced
by nearly every member Of the Cali
fornia delegation in Congress that that
State was 'tsewed up for the Secre-
tary of War, but some very contrary
assertions are being brought East, in
dicating that the friAnos of some other
candidate have been getting in some
very clever work.
AS soon as Secretary Taft gets some
of his organization work here disposed
Of, he proposes to go out on a stump
ing tour. which is calculated to i'm
prove his chances. He has been ask
ed to speak in several States-in New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont,
Connecticut and New York-zand has
accepted all the invitations. In the
course of those speeches he will have
opportunity to define his policies very
clearly. The expectation Of his friends
is that, in the course of those speeches.
he viii make it plain that he is run
ming for President on his own hook
and that he viii try TO dispeI the i'm
preston that he is a candidate because
President Roosevelt wants him TO be.
and is merely an echo of the present
occupant of the White House.
The Secretary had planned to visit
the canal zone again during the month
of January. He wanted a chance to
see what was being done there, for he
is the cabinet officer charged with the
responsibility for operations in con-
structing the big ditch Numerous
matters have been coming up on the
canal and in the zone which call for
his immediate attention. His political /
campaign, however. viii prevent his /
going to the isthmus for the present. !
He could hardly get to the isthnus |
before the spring. and perhaps not |
then, for if his boom wakes he will /
have all he can attend 10 with his |
duties at the War Department and !
with looking after his political cam
paign.
With Washington SO crammed with /
politics, the reconvenIng Of Congress /
has been overshadowed. Senator's and +
members have been drifting back here
in very dilatory way. as though the /
work Of the session were of no press
ing Importance. No special program I
has been mapped out and 1t looks as
though the newt two zrantyS ~r-rYrsz Ia +