The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-15
As a Nominee for the Office of
Vice President.
LONG is WEAKENING.
Kansas Senator's Enthusiasm
Checked, by the Opposition.
Choice Appears to Be Narrow.
ing Down to Sherman.
Iowa Is Afraid Cummins Would
Enter the Senate.

Chicago, June 15.-The presidential
ticket makers took up the question of
the vice presidency today at the point
at which they had left 1t last night,
but there was an appreciable falling
off in the talk for Senator Dolliver.
The Iowa men who are opposing his
nomination were out earlier and giving
their undivided attention to heading
off the boom of their senator. They
were soon Joined by former Secretary
OF the Treasury Shaw, who sought out
Senator Lodge before the latter had
finished his breakfast and immediate
ly began a vigorous remonstrance
against further efforts in Delivers be-
half. He went directly to the point.
You don't want another La Fol-
lette in the senate, do you?" he asked.
well then" he added, don't open
the way for sending Cummins to the
senate as you Will do IL you cause
Dolliver to vacate his seat there. Yes"
he went on, 1--WE might vote for Dol
liver if he were nominated. but we
are going to see to it that he is not
nominated; it must not be-"
For the first time since he arrived
from Fort Dodge last Saturday, Sena-
tor Long today manifested DISPOSE
ton to weaken in his advocacy of the
Iowa senator. He did not say in exact
words that he would continue his eff
forts, but he did express sympathy
with the Iowa Republicans and he
was by no means so determined as
formerly in pressing the claims of his
friend 1t was asserted by others that
before the close of the day Dolliver
would put himself in communication
with his boomers and that he would
positively say that he would decline
the nomination If rendered. The IN
dications now are that he Will not
have to go to so great an extreme.
but q simple request from him VIII be
sufficient to induce them to curb their
efforts in his behalf. With Dolliver
out of the way the contest narrows
practically to Fairbanks and Sherman,
with Fairbanks declaring emphatically
over the long distance telephone that
he will not accept second place If ten
dered him.
Fairbanks Won't Take 1t.
Senator Hemenway is his spokes-
man here and he said:
Il. have stated a thousand times
that the vice president would not ac-
cept If nominated. I can only reiter-
ate and that 1 do with all the empha-
sis at my command"
Mr.. FairbankS's friends say that
there will be a revulsion of sentiment
against what they characterize as the
present policy of debating the national
nominees from Washington and they
contend that if he holds himself su-
perior to present inducements and
maintains a dignified position of oppo-
sition to this plan he will be most
eligible for the first place four years
hence. They admit however, that the
vice president would be placed in an
embarrassing position by the tender of
the nomination. Among those on the
ground who are urging his candidacy
are the Republican candidates for
state offices in Indiana, including the
gubernatorial candidate, Mr.. Watson.
They are representing the necessity of
naming Mr.. Fairbanks in the interest
of themselves and the party in that
state.
New York's effort to get together on
a candidate for the vice presidency is
interesting. Although the delegation
was to meet before noon, there was no
expectation that the matter of a vice
presidential choice would be directly
considered by the caucus.
The situation was peculiar Long
since a portion of the New York dele
gates abandoned hope of actually ac-
complishing the nomination of Cover
nor Hughes for the presidency, but
General Woodford, one of the delegates
at large, has made it plain that no
probable combination of circumstances
can prevent the presentations Of Gov
ernor Hughes name. even if every 9TH
er candidate but Taft should with
draw.
Out for Two Places.
This being the case and the interest
in the vice presidential candidacy OF
Representative James s. Sherman. OF
Utica, steadily increasing among the
New York delegates, the state was ap-
parently placed in the position of de-
handing both places on the ticket. The
realization of this strange position OF
affairs, forced a halt on the part of
Mr. Sherman's friends, and it was not
tn their acOIlieScenc0
in the decision to defer any formal
action on the subject of the vice presi
dency until the Hughes matter has
been finally disposed of.
The Hughes men before entering the
caucus took the position that. they
would cooperate in any effort to unite
the delegation on candidate for vice
president, provided there was a united
effort in the vote for Hughes on the
first ballot for president. To the har
monizing of this situation the state
leaders, therefore, devoted their atten-