The San Francisco call., 1910-05-08
LincOIn-ROOseveIt Forces Want
William Kent to Run Against
Duncan McKinIay
Plan TO Give Republicans Chance
to Oppose Administration
Within Own Party
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

IACtlAr tue MAJ III Guilty nAil4iohdlIE,
against Duncan McKinlay. for the re-
publican nomination Tor congress in
the second district
Congressman Mckinlay has assumed
10 be the personal representative of
President Taft in California. He was
so accepted in the preliminary and
formal campaigns Of 1908. Kent is a
Roosevelt man who spent his time and
his money in Taft's behalf He repent
ed when the Payne -Aldrich tariff law
was passed. He threw off the sack
cloth and ashes and swore vengeance
when Pinchot was decapitated for Bal
linger and his conservation policies re-
pudiated
KENT OPPOSED TO TAFT
Kent is violently opposed TO Taft.
McKinisy is volubly for Taft. Kent is
Vehemently for Pinchot and his poll
cles- Mckinlay is one Of the congress
men interested in the Harry White or
Green group OF Alaska coal land claims
which have figured so prominently in
the Balinger- -PinchOt controversy. Nc
Kinlay lis as violently opposed to Pin
chot and his policies as Kent is vigor-
ously in favor Of them.
Pitting Kent against McKinlay would
make the Taft Roosevelt issue clear
and unavoidable. IT would force
showdown on the conservation poll
cies Of Roosevelt and Pinchot as dis
tinsuished from the policies OF Presi-
dent Taft and Secretary Ballinger. Be
sides all that d fight between Kent and
Mchinlay would give the republicans
of the district an opportunity to record
their approval or disapproval of the
TAFT administration without going out
side Of their party, as the republicans
Of New York and Massachusetts, have
been forced TO do.
The advent of Kent as a candidate
for congress would put an end to the
a TX about democratic Lincoln -Roose-
Welt league combination for Preston
and for the democratic ticket in the
event of Johns0n's defeat at the pri-
mary polls.
kent's name was first mentioned in
connection with the second district con-
Sressional situation Immediately after
the dismissal Of Piuchot Kent was i'll
and pleaded his health as an excuse for
his unwillingness TO become a candi-
date subsequently il was rumored that
Kent had decided 10 disregard party
lines and back Preston. the Mendocino
county democrat against McKinIay.
PLAN NOT SATISFACTORY
That plan was not satisfactory to re-
publicans generally nor was its appeal
10 Kent as strong as the democrats be-
ieved Il would be. Many anti-ma chine
republicans would have been willing TO
support Preston II he would make an
attempt TO secure the republican nom
ination. They argued that If the demo-
Gratis were in good faith they could
write Preston's name in on their pri-
mary ballot, insuring him a place on
the general election ballot even if he
failed 10 beat Mckinlay for the repub-
lican nomination.
They discovered that this plan made
no hit with the democrats and the
weakening party lines were immedi-
ately stiffened gain. The republicans
declared that they would have a can
didate who would fight Taft Ballinger
and the Payne-Aldrich tariff within
the ranks Of the republican party and
that his name was Kent.
Kent resolutely declines to discuss
the question Of his candidacy. or at
least 10 declare that he VIII or will not
be candidate. His refusal 10 announce
hImSelt Is in no way contingent upon
the probable action Of Preston The
matter of his health is the fly in the
ointment The lesguers say that if
Kent were in good physical condition
or II he could secure the services of a /
man upon whom he could pile the bur
den Of campaign detail work, he would
be in the field at once.
FORCING ROOSEVELT ISSUE
Kent'is sore. That he wants to force
The Roosevelt issue in California none
pretends TO deny. That he would pre-
fer 20 have il forced with another as
g candidate against McKinlay may be
assumed. He and the leaguers have
not found an acceptable candidate. The
leasuers are urging. Kent in and they
beleNe that he viii be in the field
formally before the end Of the week
II the grapevine reports from Los
Angeles that have reached Stanton's
Sri
attempt 10 pull Stanton down for sec
ond place has failed utterly After
Herrin's departure from Los Angeles
stanton publicly declared that no con-
sideration would induce him to with
draw He also declared that his medi-
cal advisers had informed him that
he was fit for the fight Of his life
STANTON HAS FRIENDS HERE
Stanton's campaign in San Francisco
has gone farther and faster than HIS
opponents are willing to admit That
does not mean that there are any sig
nifcations that Stanton is to be the
moving cause in a San Francisco polft-
ical earthquake IT is apparent how
ever, that he has some friends in San
francisco, and that they are imbued
with the idea that 4 short showing in
san Francisco and the north will pull
their man through in August.
II was rumored in San Francisco
yesterday that Henry Lyon of Los An
geles would come to San Francisco
as Stantons personal representative
Lyon was pulled out of the hunt for
seat in the Los Angeles council by Wal
ter Parker, presumably to fight Jake
Transue for the assembly nomination
in the seventy-third. Transue besides
being one Of the sheet anchors of the
machine in the legislature is one of
Stanton's political proteges. There is
no confirmation Of the report that Lyon
had experienced another change of
heart and was coming 10 San Francisco.
but il he has been captured for the
stanton fight, il may be assumed that
Stanton's stock is going up in his home
town
Tt was given out at the Anderson
Headquarters yesterday that Anderson
would not be home for several days
The tentative schedule for his arrival
would bring him back TO San Fran
cisco about the time Walter Parker is
expected 10 arrive with the solution
Of the machines candidate for lieuten-
ant governor problem.
Johnson is expected 10 return TO San
Francisco today and to spend a week in |
and around this city before resuming
his southern tour. Curry is at Sacra- |