The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-04-10

Political circles i'm Washington in
both parties and in all factions were
deeply stirred by the recent announce.
ment of Representative Grant f. Mus
ser of the Thirteenth Ohio district
that he would not be candidate, f.
re election because of the strife anc
turmoil in the republican ranks of this
state. The formal withdrawal of con-
gresham Meuser was made all the
more interesting by reason of the cur
rent reports that tentative steps are
being taken to reconcile the Taft Fora
ker factions in the Buckeye state, in
order to minimize as much as posi-
BILE the likelihood of democratic vic
tory at the polls next November The
interest in the Ohio situation has not
been confined to the congressional dele
cations and politicians from that state,
but has been general. Much concern
has been felt in the camps of the re-
publican presidential allies, who were
put on the quivive by the rumor that
conciiatory measures are being under
taken to restore harmony in Ohio. One
of the strong arguments they have en-
ployed against Secretary Taft's candi-
dacy has been that there is q strong
probability of his state going demo-
cratic in November, thus seriously af-
fecting the chances the republicans
might have for success with the war
secretary at the head. Therefore it
is that they view alarm any attempt
to bring peace to the republican party
in Ohio, and will strive nightly to
thwart all overtures looking to an
amicable adjustment of the row there.
Men on the inside, however, claim
that there is nothing to indicate that
there will be an early, if any, recon-
Citation, but this has only been fuel
to the fire of general interest in
things political in the state.
Added interest has been given the
international situation in the far east
by the determination of the Admins
tration to stand firm in it's refusal to
recognize any governmental authority
in Manchuria other than China's. 1t
has been known that the government
was determined to maintain for the
"open door" policy put forward by the
late Secretary Hay, but just how sue
cessful such stand would be or what
off ~ ha fhroo
Japanese embroglio none car
ed to predict. With the formal COM
plant of the Russian Government
against the action of the American
consul at Hardin in declining to ac-
Russian rule, there has
come the first indication of the course
the United States will pursue in this
connection. 1t develops that Consul
Fisher was only carrying out positive
orders when he firmly declined to treat
with the Russian authorities and ac-
knowledge their sovereignty over that
territory, maintaining that he had been
accredited solely to China and hence
could not but acknowledge Chinese SUI
premacy. 1t is known that the Ger
man consul at Hardin has taken the
same stand while the representative
of the French government acquiesced
in the Muscovite demands. Baron
Rosen, the Russian Ambassador to this
country, has held several conferences
with Secretary of State Root in con-
nection with this matter, and it is
understood that Mr.. Root has remind
ed the diplomat that his government
specifically relinquished all rights in
Manchuria and North China, not en-
joyed under lease, in the Treaty of
Portsmouth at the close of the late
Russia japanese war, and that America
will act in pursuance of the terms of
that document. 1t is interesting to
note that since the termination of hos
tilities, the late combatants have been
working hand in hand in exploiting
Manchuria and North China for mutual
commercial and territorial gain. While
it is not believed that Russia or Japan
will do aught but admit the justice
of this countrys position, there are
a number of possibilities which might