The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-02-14
POLITICS POPPING.
New Political Sun Rising, and Rays
Are Being Felt in Capital
City. -.

A dispatch from Washington to the
Columbia Record says:
A new political sun is rising. II
this capital city its rays already arc
beginning to be felt. The environ
ments of political life in Washing
ION are becoming superhcatel. Poll
tics is fairly popping. The corridors
of the capitol are thronged with men
who rarely are seen in Washington
except in the midst Of campaign
which has its centre ncra. The sit
uatioa today recalls the days Of the
preliminary campaign for the presi-
dental nomination in 1896, when
William Mckinley and Thomas B.
Reed were the leading candidates for
the republican nomination.
Tn the early days Of that year,
when Mr. Reed was the speaker of
the house Of representatives, polti-
clans and would be statesmen hung
about him with bllzzard-likc pcrsis-
tencc. They gave him no peace. His
room at the capitol was besicged by
men WHO desired primarily to hask
in the light of his presence, and. Sec
ondarly, to impress him with the
power Of their Influence to their
eventual political profit
Scores, even hundreds of thas.
people, Speaker Reed appeared to be
forced to receive and treat with civil
ity. Tie was not a particularly i'm
pressionablc character, however, and
most of his callers experienced the
blight Of n FROST,
So it was, too, at Canton, Ohio.
There Mckinley received a verita-
bic host Of republicans from all parts
ct the country. The callers nearly
had%crcd the life out Of him. Being
in the public eye. he was unable to
rid himself of The horde OF .nconse-
qWential persons who desired every.
thin" from him from a portfolio in
tnc cabinet TO Il recommendation of
corn cure. It was remarkable and
charactcristisalv American situation.
In the respects noted, history is
now rcpcatin" itself in Washington.
Secretary Taft, who. for the moment
at least. seems to be the most promi-
ncnt candidate for the Republican
nominati"n for the presidency, is
passing through an experience SINH
lar to that of Reed and Mckinley.
Hundreds Of persons desire to see
him every day. Hc is besicged by
callers. SO great is the pressure up
on his time that he scarcely has OPP
portunity to sign his personal mail.
In addition to the time consumed in
Receiving people who have to be seen
he is obliged to prepare speech after
speech tobe delivered in various parts
Qt the country. As Il weight reducing
process, the present situation Is
decided success. Nobody but one ell
dowcd with immense physical and
mental powers could withstand the
strain which Taft is now IN icroging.
The secretary. in self defense. prac-
tical!t has abandoned MS Office in
the war department. lie appears
there to attend to some official busi-
ness. but most Of his time is spsn. at
his own home where he has set apart
4 "ullc of rooms in which hr t:ans.
acts official and political business.
He has Il corps Of clerks and steno-
graphcrS assisting him and one or
two confidential men who act rs buf-
fcr> hrtwrrn him va he "orncral
rum Of callers.
II Is Il fact. remarked upon by cX-
Utri"nccl observers. thai Secretary
Taft now is receiving more callers
than the president of the United
States. The tide has turned towards
him and he finds himself almost sub
merged. The president is not neglect
ed by amy means. but the politicians
are looking" to the east. \ new poll
teal sun Is rising.