The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-20
WASHINGTON CITY BEFORE
THE GREAT CONVENTION
Anxiety of Politicians, High and Low, About
Their Jobs Under Taft Administrations
Taft and the President.

fore the wind and the sun in the morn
ing. The Roosevelt boomers arrived
on the scene and began to speak in
plain language. The people wanted
four years more of Theodore Roosevelt.
They We're going to have him or know
the reason why. No time to sulk!
Join the procession and be in with the
winner!
And the National Committee mem
bers, most of whom were anti-Roose-
welt, saw the point. They are all past
masters at politics. When demon
stration is not effective they are quick
to see it and also quick to scramble
TO the victorious side.
That is probably what is going to
Taft boomers will be on the ground
in force by Monday and even earlier
than that. They will run over the
allies, unless all signs fail. fill up the
big city by the lakeside with shouts
and hurrahs for "BilI' Taft, the Pres
ident's favorite. They will thunder at
the old guardsmen and the allies
which terms are undoubtedly in large
part synonymous-to go to, capture all
the convention organization, run ev-
erything to suit themselves. All of
that will assure a reasonably harmonl-
Gus convention, for the old guardsmen
and the allies are not as full of fight
and of strategic opposition as they
were a decade ago. When the signal
/ for battle is really hoisted they refuse
| to move on the works. They simply
| scurry over to the other side and pro-
claim themselves as "friendIies."
That is what all Washington, who
has seen much of the tactics of the
allies in the last ten months, is pro-
phesying. But and but and but
again." as Editor Henry Watterson
once said in an editorial about Pres
ident Theodore Roosevelt, something
| might happen. There has been many
a slip at National conventions Of both
parties. Little things have made Pres
| idents of the United States and very
little things have also prevented men
forever from reaching that greatest of
political goals. 1t seems to be all nice
w arranged for Taft. No one can point
to a defect in the arrangements, at
which a well organized group of polit-
ical experts have been at work for
many months. President Roosevelt is
himself quite as keen to see any de-
fects in the plans as any one could
be- but he is satisfied. He has helped
to the utmost to make the calling and
election of his Secretary of War sure
land he works very effectively.
Therefore while all seems safe, men
are nervous about making positive pre-
dictions, which are hardly off the
presses before the convention begins
to perform When so much is at stake,
the delegates are apt to get nervous.
Everybody is on the qui vive with en-
thusiasm on tap for every oratorical
outburst A gay day, or a strain of
music, or a catchy sentence spoken by
a silver tongue might spoil the well
laid plans of the last six months.
But for this great quadrennial con-
vention, there would have been ere this
q great official exodus from Washing
ton. The leading lights of the admin
istratfon like to stay here till after
the convention ends. because they can
keep in better touch with convention
affairs. President Roosevelt would
have gone to oyster Bay by this time
but the newspapers are two or three
hours late up there. He has his own
, telegraph and telephone service there
: as he has at Washington, but it is
not so satisfactory. Here in Washing
ton he can not only keep in the closest
; possible touch with Chicago and its
; Taft workers but he can get into touch
with other forces.
: Secretary Taft is naturally staying
r here, because he has his work as Secre
n tary of War to wind up. He expects t.
: relinquish his office now in about TIVE
$ weeks and there will be plenty for hin
e to do in that time. It is also neees
: sary for him to have frequent con
: ferences with the President. So tn
Secretary will stay right IN washing
4 ton till after the nomination is mad
e and perhaps for some time thereafter
d Nearly all the other cabinet officer
e are making their plans to scatter t
: the four winds, the moment Senate
d Lodge, permanent chairman, declare
e the Chicago convention adjourned. On
S or two Of them must stay here to Isl
IS on the lid as it is called now. It ha
Il begun 10 look as though the Presfden
: would have to draft some member 0
e the cabinet for that conspicuous of
e fee. because none of the cabinet seem
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