The Hartford republican., 1908-03-06
FOR FAIRBANKS
FOR PRESIDENT
Is Newly Elected Senator
States His Position.
Federal Office Holders Must Not
Boss Presidential N0mi-
nation.


come out for Fairbanks for the Re-
publican Presidential nomination and,
II there was ever any doubt about how
Kentucky would stand, it has been
dispelled. He gives strong reasons for
his belief that the Indiana statesman
is the strongest candidate before
the people. He also shows up the
weaknesses of the Taft candidacy.
statement:
During the contest for United
States Senator l felt as the nominee
of the Republican party that l had
no right to endanger success by COM
plicating that race with my prefer
ence for the nominee for President
Despite absolute silence in this matter,
the active friends of Mr.. Taft aside
from those in the General Assembly
and a few others, gave no aid or
comfort, sine of them doing what
they were able to do to defeat me.
Now that the contest has been hap
PLY ended, feel that the public has
the right to know my position. The
recent financial troubles, which, un-
happily, have not been wholly reliev-
ed, will, of course, whether justly or
not, be charged upon the Republican
party, Just as the Homestead riots
were charged upon it in 1892. Not
withstanding Mr.. Harrison had Civ
en- one of the most superb admins
trations the country had ever expe-
rienced and that neither he nor his
party was responsible for these riots,
the Republican party went down to
defeat. We might as well appreciate
the fact now, that we shall have no
walkover in the coming Presidential
contest. It therefore, behooves the
party to exercise great caution In the
selection of a presidential candidate.
Judge Taft is man of winning per-
snality and signal ability, and would
IL elected, make a great President.
But, while this is true, it seems evil
dent that his election is by no means
certain. With the labor unions and
the negroes against him, it is exceed
iney doubtful whether he could car
~ the States of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana,
New Jersey. New York and possibly
others. There can be no hope of car
rying Kentucky, West Virginia and
| Z. H.. lo,, a
extreme Southern States are concern
ed it is well known that not a sin
gle electoral vote can be had for Mr..
Taft or any other Republican. Be-
sides, it is plain that the last-men-
toned States are conrolled alone by
Federal office-holders.
The Federal officeholders in Ken
. lucky have never failed when controll-
ing the party in the State to ac-
complish a Democratic success,
In 1887, when there We're no Repub-
: lican Federal officeholders in the
State, the Republicans reduced a
Democratic majority of more than 45,-
900 In the previous gubernatorial con-
test to less than 1900. In S95,when
+ there were no Republican Federal Of
: ficeholders In Kentucky. the Repub-
: licans carried the State by a plurali-
. ty of nearly 5000. In 1895, when there
were no Republican Federal officshol-
ers In the State, Kentucky gave its
electoral votes, with one exception for
William Mckinley. Now mark the diff
ference.
When Bailey was nominated for
Clerk OF the Court Of Appeals in 1897
through the machination of the Fed
eral officeholders in the State. the
publicans were defeated by $4,000 and
Democrat Legislature elected, which
passed the infamous Goebel election
law. In 1900, Notwithstanding the
magnificent record of Mckinley and
Roosevelt and the splendid person
ality of Mr.. Yerkes under the active
leadership of Republican Federal Of
ficeholders Kentucky was again carri-
ed by the Democrats. In 1903 the
Federal Republican officeholders, boo
/, ed and spurred, ran over Will
son and Pratt nominating Mr..
Belknap for Governor who not
w1thstanding his high character, was
beaten by the enormous majority of
$4,000: and only HANDFUL of members