The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-03-01
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
Special Correspondence to the Citizen
Washington, February "a, 1912.


Washington, February "a, 1912.
Presidential booms around Washington
are as common as pig tracks. There are
Headquarters for half dozen Presidential
booms now going on in this city. The
Harmon boom has headquarters at the
Ebbitt House; also the Clark headquar-
tiers are established at the Ebbitt House.
The LaFolleue headquarters are in one
big Office building and 50 are the RooSe-
welt headquarters in another. The | ait
boom is situated in the Raleigh Hotel in
palatal rooms and fitted up better than
any | ever saw in my life. The Wilson
HEADQUARTERS here are located under The
hat of a very brainv newspaper man and
that's all that is visible OF the Wilson
headquarters so far as | have yet been
able to see. The Underwood headquar-
tiers have hitherto been established in the
senatorial offices OF Senator Bankhead, OF
Alabama, but | understand they also are
going to rent rooms and establish
Bureau of Publicity and get busy like the
balance of them. So far as La Toilette is
concerned, as a Republican candidate for
President his boom has just about peter
ed out.
So far as Mr.. Taft and the friends Of the
administration are concerned, they are
getting very busy and they really now see
the necessity for it because there is no
longer any doubt in my mind or the
minds OF any man who can read the
signs of the times and the ways OF poll
tcians. that Roosevelt is a candidate.
Before this letter is read possibly, | pre-
dict that Roosevelt will be out in the
open as a candidate for President and
there is no sort of doubt that he is going
to make Mr.. Taft hustle to get that noml-
nation. 1t doesn't make any difference
how many people who know him and who
have known him at close range, consider
him a fakir and a loreflusher it is un-
doubleday true that no man in this country
has a greater personal following than
Theodore Roosevelt 1t is unnecessary to
make any further remarks about Mr.
Roosevelt at this time, but as the cam
paign grows older for the nomination, |
will have few desultory remarks to
make concerning Mr.. Roosevelt. and they
will all be backed up by facts.
have lust heard that another horse has
been entered into the Democratic race in
the shape of Mayor Gavnor OF New York,
and that is for the evident intention of
holding the New York delegation for him
and trading on it and its p votes al the
convention In fact there may be several
| other iavorite son candidates from num-
| Der of States like Massachusetts, Conncc-
| ticut, Indiana and Illinois. This is to be
a free for-all race, and it is the first time
since 1896 that both parties will have a
| fyht in their conventions for the nomna-
! ton for President. 1t is going to be an
| Interesting race. and | should think that
| the people OF the country would be glad
| TO read of the happenings from week to
week concerning this -for-all Presden.
| tja handicaps. SO far as Democratic can
| djdates are concerned up to date, the
| Honorable Champ Clark has the lead
! He has the State of Missouri, his own
| 5 ate. also half OF Oklahoma and two
! Congressional districts in Kansas thai
gives him about so instructed votes up tc
| this time. and no one else has any at all
except Wilson, who now has ten. 1t i,
! true these States have held early Conven
tons, and Mr. Clark has profted by then
! by adding big impetus to his boom
! The fact oi the matter is that he seems tC
b. Inc only man among the leaders. who
while The Folk people fought for a Will,
| m Missouri. they saw the iutlity OF It 70
! Mr. Clark handlly won the entire State il
| a primary
The sentiment for Governor Harmon
does not seem to be unanimous in Ohit
because there are certain elements in tina
State now opposing him. The sam,
thing is true of Governor Wilson in New
! Jersey, and where he is compelled TO com
bat former Senator James Smith, Jr., anC
all of his friends in that State.
OF course, Mr.. Underwood will get hi
home State OF Alabama. but what the bal
anCe of the South will 90 is probematica
and the publ men here are verv char,
of expressing opinions on that subject.
Perhaps some of the readers of this cor
| respond nee may not be very we'll inform
ed concerning the personalities and tn,
/ characteristics OF some of these candidate
who are asking their suffrages, and
will be my pleasure in the future to no
only submit some facts concerning all 0
them, and will do so without preudic,
and simply tor the Information of tn,
public. SO far as am concerned person
ally, perhaps my opinion would no
amount to very much, but | can quot
from many public men concerning then
and the kind OF candidates for Presiden
they will make.
There are many men in this countr,
who would make excellent Presidents bu
very poor candidates. and as the Demo
cratic patty IN this campaign does not in
tend to lose trick. they are going to b.
very careful and believe will pick tn,
man who not only will make great Presi
dent but an excellent candidate and vot,
getter. have no idea who he will be.
After wandering in the wilderness 70
sixteen years, the Democratic party is jus
about to return to its home and do tn,
Prodigal Son act. Since the victory il
1910, which was made possible by those
two brilliant leaders in the House of Rep
resentatives, Champ Clark and Oscar Tn
derwood, the Democratic party has beer
on its good behavior and after all of tn,
opportunities it has had to play the fool
ii has refused TO do SO and has astoundeC
its enemies and pleased its friends. Sine,
it was welded together in one solid mas
I by those craftsmanship leaders, its cohe
sive power is still noticeable and it stands
today as then, in one solid mass so far a.
the House OF Representatives is concern
ed and presents its serried ranks to al
enemy that is shot to pieces and torn b,
internal strife, which leaves it in no shap,
, to fight the battle next fall