The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-16

improbable that President Taft should
not be looking forward occasionally to
1912, particularly when he is taking
a long journey that Will bring him a
closer acquaintance with the sovereign
voters who make and unmake Presi-
dents. His course ever since he en-
tered the White House has been one
of pacificatiOn for the hostile elements
in his own party. He will not be for
getful of this as he travels through
many states where the old line Re-
publicans and the more radical Roose=
the party organization.
Therefore it is that the itinerary has
been prepared and scrutinized with ex-
ceptional care. Every minute of the
President s time is accounted for in
the scores of cities he will visit. The
opportunities for ambitious citizens to
pull the President away to a private
residence or to some meeting of local
adherents have been reduced to a mini
mum. Every local program of visit
ing and speaking has been vised by
Secretary Carpenter, after consultation
with people familiar with the local
situation. There may be an occasional
contretemps in schedule covering so
days, but it will not be for lack of
caution at the summer capital.
President Taft s experiences in the
last campaign may have prompted him
to unusual care in this particular. In
the rush and hurry of political contest
he frequently found that he was being
uneonsciously made factor in local
nnlitiaS There
when he had an hour or two on his
hands. Naturally there was much ag-
gression in invitations and appeals.
Quite as much from good luck, as on
account of any foresight on the part
of state leaders who had his campaign
ing in charge, Mr.. Taft escaped any
serious embarrassment.
One conspicuous case serves as an
illustration. When Mr.. Taft was at
Middle Bass Island early last Septem-
Der he was surrounded by friends, who
proposed various plans. Gen. Warren
Keifer, a Representative from the
Springfield, Ohio, district and Gen.
Henry c. Corbin were anxious that he
should visit Fort Meigs to attend the
dedication of monument to soldiers
of the war of 1912. It seemed harmless
enough to those two Buckeye officers
and at first Mr.. Taft was inclined to
go. He had not been informed of the
details of the program, however, and
some of his more cautious friends ad-
vised him strongly to stay away. At
the last moment he decided to follow
their advice.
Senator Foraker was one of the
orators of that occasion. In the course
of his remarks he made reflections upon
President Roosevelt. If Mr.. Taft had
been there he would have felt compelled
under the circumstances, probably,
to make reply. IF he had remained
silent his silence would have been cap
able of a wrong Interpretation. Had he
spoken, it would have provoked a con-
troversy which at that stage of the
campaign could have had no good re-
suit.
There will be hardly a political cam
paign, worthy the name, in the States
the President is to traverse. Conse-
quently he can not be accused of MAX
ing stumping tour, which, of course,
Presidents are careful to avoid. Mas
sachusetts, Rhode Island and Virginia
will be electing Governors and legis-
latures. A few of the Western states
will elect minor officials in November
The President will be well out of West
ern territory before any campaigns
there assume lively Importance and will
not get up into Virginia, on the home
stretch from the South, till after the
polls have closed. The season for his
journey has accordingly been well
chosen to avoid political broils. He can
discuss issues, pertaining to his adj
ministration, with little fear of criti-
cisms on other than broad national
lines.
There will undoubtedly be efforts to
interest the President in the mayoralty
fight in New York city this autumn.
1t will be the campaign of towering
Importance to be decided in November
and, possibly, the most significant cleo
tion to be held since Mr.. Taft was
chosen for the Presidency. That situa-
ton has led to speculation over the
presence of George R. Sheldon, Treasur-
er of the Republican National Commit
tee, on his yacht in the waters adj
jacent to Beverly and over the game of
golf he played the other day at the
Myopia links with the President. Mr.
Sheldon is by no means a dominant
party leader in New York city, but at
this time the Republicans there and in
New York state are considerably
demoralized. They are without any
coherent organization. In New York
city there are six or seven candidates
for the very important Office of Census
Supervisors. Representatives Bennett,
Olcott and Parsons, all prominent city
Republicans, are each pressing for the
selection of a favorite Secretary of
Commerce and Labor Nagel is expected
| almost any day to advise the President
whom to select in New York city and
| in several up state districts, as well as
| in numerous other districts throughout
| the country.
Whatever the chance may be of de-
feating Tammany in the MAJORITY
campaign, it is regarded as sufficiently
| good to be worth improving to the ut
most. Taft carried New York city,
probably as tickle political constit-
ueney as there is in the world. If the
Republicans should carry the city this
autumn it would immensely strengthen
their position and also the President s
position in the Empire State. A trem-
endous Tammany majority, on the
other hand, might make a question as
| -. !, L