The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-17
TAFT AND THEN-wHAT7

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Twenty-Five contests have already
been filed with the Republican national
committee from various states, princi-
pally the south, and more are TO be
heard from. so that the initial proceed
ings of the convention promise 10 be
interesting, not TO say exciting. Not
that the contests are apt TO affect the
general result, because il is understood
In advance that the administration
forces viii be seated and the opposition
delegates thrown out as rapidly as the
contests can be heard. In nearly every
case the point of division is the deter
animation OF the president TO nominate
Taft, and the federal officeholders have
seen TO it that a contest was precip-
itated when local sentiment seemed
against them. To be seated whether
entitled 10 seats or not, is as simple as
drawing salary. because the oficehold-
ers predominant among the delegations
and they are not likely TO go too deep
~ into the merits Of any fight that
II may be taken for granted now that
Taft will be nominated, and it is doubt
ful whether the favorite son movement
can prevent his nomination on the first
ballot. The bare threat that Roosevelt
VIII be named if Taft is not, has been
enough TO scare a good many of the
eastern politicians into acceptance of
Taft and put a quietus on the notion
that he might be defeated if his success
was prevented on the first ballot Some
of them. like Speaker Cannon, who i'm
agined they might have a chance for
the place. have suddenly discovered
they viii be lucky if they are not beat
en- at home for daring to oppose the
presidents choice: and il has had a
wonderfully soothing effect on them
Two months ago they We're talking vo-
ciferously about getting even" with
Roosevelt; now they dodge when any
body mentions the presidents name,
wear gum shoes and talk in whispers
or in the sign language when they are
One significant development is the re-
tirement of the old guard of the Re-
publican party. Plat and Depew, of
course, are no longer factors; AIdrich
is sick of the game and ready to step
down and out; the Massachusetts SEN
ators wouldn't go as delegates to the
convention because they thought they
would have 10 go under instructions;
Allison OF Iowa, who was so long an
oracle in conventions. gives way TO Dol
liver, and the old warehouses of Indiana
viii take the background while young
Mr.. Beverage names Mr. Fairbanks
for slaughter.
Altogether. the roster Of nOtables
slated for prominence at Chicago this
year is patheticany notable for the
changes wrought by the domination of
the Roosevelt crowd. 1t makes one
think of the 1892 convention, when Har-
rison was renominated and the Clark
n-Manley combination sulked in their
tents with all the friends of Blaine. and
did a good deal toward the election Of
Cleveland and the com. ilsory reorgan-
ization of the Republican party.
The parallel may seem far-fetched
but the discerning eye can see signs Of
just such another campaign approach
ing as that Of 1892 Hardly one of the
men who led with Hanna has survived
the ravages of the last four years.
Lodge. once RooseveIts bosom friend
and chief announcer, is hardly ever
heard from. Elkins, one OF the chief
figures in 1896 and while Mckinley
lived. is fighting for his political exist
enee: Foraker has his back 10 the wall
making a wonderful struggle against
great odds: and o on down the line Of
the ancieEts.
A new Pharaoh has arisen. who
knows mighty few Of the Josephs who
We're wont 10 dispense the royal favors
in times gone by; and another gener-
alton of men has come to the front
It will be most remarkable if the old
timers calmly acquiesce in such d fate
and wear themselves out trying to elect
the nominee of the man who has done
most 10 retire them.