The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-03-12
OPPONENTS OF TAFT.
(codtinued from First Page)


training and organization, Is another
group of men who are personally re-
sentful against the president, and
who seek revenge by thwarting his
wishes. He has not been willing to
conform to their plans he has In
general set high standard of merit
for filling vacant Offices and has
offended many influential politicians
by his determination not to make unfit
appointments for political purposes
His views of patronage and the civil
service, his difference with the SEN
ate, his failure to treat senators
with the Difference and tenderness to
which they have been accustomed,
and his free use of picturesque and
cutting language have all combined
to build up In congress- a phalapx of
bitter personal opposition. 1t has
never dared express itself very openly.
The members of it when they go home
claim the Endorsement of their con-
stituents on the ground they are earn
est supporters of the popular presi-
dent, but In the cloak-rooms of the
capital they talk and criticise and
conspire, and form email but i.hu-
entail cabal eager to do anything
they safely can to annoy the execu.
tive.
$50 these two forces, the represen-
tatives of the financial interests and
the men with a personal grievance,
those who hate the presidents poll
cies and those who hate the president,
form a coterie of opposition to the
Taft candidacy which ls formidable.
''I, of course, am not In their coun-
sells and do not know their plans, but
current opinion is very definite as to
their program. 1t is to fight Taft,
the administration candidate, In each
state with the weapons most effective
for that locality, and to study public
opinion and local conditions, and sup
port whoever has the best chance of
winning, taking particular pains
everywhere that the delegates are
men who can be controlled and turned
at the proper time to whatever the
leaders may select. That, of course,
is the system on which boss-ridden
states like New York and Pennsylva.
MIA have often acted, to send delegates
whom Platt and Quay could manipu-
late like pawns, and hand over when
wanted to consummate a trade If
they can accomplish this and prevent
Taft from having clear majority
over all at the outset, and thus cre-
ate a deadlock, they hope when the
other candidates are discouraged to
concentrate their vote on whoever
they shall select and nominate him.
"Who he would be l do t know,
and will not even guess 1t would of |
course be a man as reactionary as
they dared to present. II Is a clever
scheme and handled by men of long
experience in directing the Republi-
can machine, has chances of success.
II has, however, several dangers
First, If Taft has not clear mojority
on the first ballot, think he will be |
second choice of enough uncontrolled
delegates to win at once. Then there
always is the question of the election
to consider. think any Republican
nominated will win against Bryan,
with one exception, If the people
should believe that the nominee was
selected as a protest against the
Roosevelt administration, he would
go down in overwhelming defeat. So
they must avoid the appearance of
that"
$50, altogether, their outlook cam
not be cheerful. But they areglong-
practiced, astute politicians, with
boundless funds at their disposal,
which are useful particularly in the
south, and they present formidable
front.
I'm New England l suppose they
will try to get delegates elected who
express no preference, butwhom they
can control, and If they find they can
not win on that line and must declare
for some one, have no doubt it will
be for Hughes, for they are clear
sighted enough to see that they would
have no chance with any other, and
a complimentary vote for Hughes
they could swing to their true choice.
III do not mean, of course, that
every one who In Washington opposes
Taft belongs to one of these classes.
There are many who from local OF
personal reasons have other favorites,
but their support is 30 scattered and
feeble that unless concentrated into
some organized body 1t would be help
less against the Taft forces. To give
~ that organization and conceutra-
tion is what this uncommitted coterie
of politicians Is anxious To effect. and