The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-12-29
PRESIDENTIAL
BATTLE LINE
BEING. FORMED
Ohio Political States Indicate
the First skirmish in the
Conflict
TAFT WANTS SOMEBODY TO
BEAT GOVERNOR HARMON
Effort Made to Get Rid Of Factional
Fights and Line Up Party Against
the Common Enemy Burton Is
Factor.

the Common Enemy-Burton Is a
Factor.
Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 29.-In the
little white house" on East Rich
street, Columbus, one of the foremost
citizens of Ohio, is preparing his first
onslaught on the Taft forces. In a
little brown house in Cleveland an
other. of Ohio's formemost citizens is
preparing something or other that
many believe is also to fashion itself
into an onslaught on the Taft forces.
most citizen in the first instance and
Senator Theodore Burton in the sec
ond instance.
Naturally these men are working
from Numerically opposite view
points. Governor Harmon is prepar-
Ing for the presidential battle in min
ature that is to be waged in this
state next year. Senator Burton is
preparing the preserve to himself the
leadership given him year ago.
Just what Senator Burton has in
mind is not clear. He Is accused of
making slate with view to break
Ing a slate. His slate is reputed to
include James R. Garfield for gover-
nor, Granville w. Mooney of Ashta-
bula for secretary of state and Harry
]. Ritter of Miami counsJ for state
treasurer. This is not a Taft slate.
While Taft can have no objection to
Mr.. Mooney or Mr.. Ritter, 1t is not
%hA - 1T Lok
ne is for Garfield for governor. The
wisest of the politicians argue that
II he had been for Garfield for some-
thing big he would have retained him
In his cabinet, instead Of sending him
out to feed on the husks that re-
mained from the Roosevelt gorging
the yQnng man had enjoyed for SO
sfonE&a period. SO. Mr.. Burton's eff
forts. II, in fact, he is making the
slate they say he is, cannot be said
to be in the interest of the president
In Ohio. In fact, there is said to be
something Of breach between the
president and the junior Ohio sena-
tor.
Harm0n's Slate is Personal.
Governor Harmon is also construct
ing a Slate. But he Is not scattering
rs much as Mr.. Burton. The COVER
nor appreciates that the target he is
trying to hit is not SO easy mark.
You have to put the bullet through
mighty small hole in order to enjoy
the auricular sensation produced by
the loud clang of the bell. So the
governors slate is small. He is not
out shot-gunning. So far as anyone
has been able to learn his slate con-
sists of only two entries, as follows:
For governor, j. Harmon Of Gin
cinnati.
For president, Judson Harmon of
Ohio.
In his message to the general as
sembly, which will be submitted Jan
nary 3, the governor will open the
battle. The message will be a state
document. in its nature, but the sub
|ects to be discussed give wide range.
1t is not possible, for example, to dis
russ the vexatious taxation problem
without touching upon the corpora
tions. For most of the tax money that
10 employed to run the state is wrung
from the corporations in the form of
an excise tax. Once on the corpora
tion subject, however, a man who is
running for governor and for presi-
dent at one and the same time can
leap over state boundaries without
being accused of dragging in extran-
eous matter.
Then the governor has observed,
from the tone Of the Republican press
that he is to be attacked on the
ground that he is a corporation law
yer. leading an anti-corporation par
ty into the meshes of Wall street
He doesn't like this accusation bit.
Every time anyone mentions corpora
ton lawyer to him he takes occasion
to say that he has never been q COR
poration lawyer. While he has SER
ed in the capacity Of attorney for cor
porations he has ended his connection
with them as soon as the suit ended
In other words, his attitude is that
he has not been retained permanently
by corporations who desire the aid Of
an attorney chiefly for the purpose of
evading the law as they go along.
And to show that he isn't corpo-
ration lawyer the governor Is going
to say something about corporations
in his message. The governor may
electrify the country with an assault
on predatory wealth" and the "abuse
of corporate powers" that will sound
like the echo of Rooseveltian thun-
derclap. And what a panning the
trusts will get! They always do. No
body, in any party nowadays makes a
speech or writes letter without pam
ming the trusts. So that part of the
message is going to be popular too.
And 1t makes such good answer to
the corporation lawyer charge! Cor
poration lawyer. forsooth! Just wait
till you read that message.
Burton for the Presldency3
Meanwhile, Senator Burton contin-
ues to be an enigma. It is asserted
insistently that Senator Burton is