New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-05
Leaders of Both Parties
Have Eyes on Root,
Burton and Weeks.
SAY ONE WILL BE
REPUBLICAN CHOICE
Roosevelt's Friendship Declared
an Asset for Root, While
Moose Like Weeks.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]


Washington, April 4. ALTHOUGH
there is a political adage that the road
to the White House does not lie
through the United States Senate, the
hopes Of Republican leaders for 1916
are tending to converge on three per-
sons whose activities during he clos
ing days Of the last Congress made
them conspicuous in tn deliberations
of that body. :,
There is a feeling among the poll
ticiaps who come and go in Washington
Democratic as we'll az Republ lean
that the Republican party VIII select us
Presidential candidate from among
Senators Root, Burton and Weeks.
To speak accurately, Messrs. Root
and Burton are no longer Senators.
Their terms expired on March q, when
they turned their backs on Washington
having refused to stand as candidates
for reelection. Senator weeks, the
Youngest of the three, has several years
of service ahead of him. Senator ROOT
Is "A lawyer, Senator Burton an econo-
mist and scholar and Senator weeks q
business man.
didate. He has definitely announced
that he regards his political career as
having been closed Many OF his ad-
mirers, however, knowing how vigorous
he is despite his years, refuse TO take
the announcement as final. Mr.. Root
is seventy, but looks sixty.
There is one point in Mr.. ROOTS
favor from the view Of political STRAIT,
ery his friendship with Colonel
Roosevelt Reports reaching Washing
ton in n roundabout way from oyster
Bay are that Colonel Roosevelt 10
ready 10 come back into the fold and
10 support any candidate the Repub-
lican convention may nominate except
Taft. Whether these reports are well
founded or not. it 5 assumed that II
there is any one man Colonel Roose-
Welt would support under such circum-
stances it would be Mr.. Root, whom he
declared 10 be the greatest of living
statesmen. This would aid in overcom-
ing the handicap against Mr. Root be-
cause of the impression that he Is a
reactionary.
Senator Burton has gone to South
America to study economic ana COM
mercial conditions .here. a course OF
preparation not of small value to a
prospective President. Like Mr. Root.
he was in the thick of the Senate fight
over the currency bill and the ship
purchase bill and he conducted O sue
cessful flibuster against the river and
harbor bill. lie has had long and
successful political career. He has
studied assiduously the questions that
will confront the occupant OF the
White House-international, financial
and economic-and he comes from
Ohio. which is an asset for Presiden-
tial candidates.
Senator Weeks is different. He was
graduated from the Naval Academy at
Annapolis, made a comfortable fortune
as n banker and is now achieving a
reputation as the General Scott of poll
tics In the last two weeks of Con-
gress he suddenly doomed up as q
leader. Instead Of setting forth to
now down opposition and slay the
PrOgressives who stood in the path OF
the minority. ne won them over by soft
words, and sometimes surprised them
by fighting with them instead of
against them. When, therefore, the
talk of candidate began Senator Week.
found the Progressive Republicans
most friendly. They even invited him
to come out into their own country,
and he accepted their invitation. He
left Washington yesterday for tour
20 the Pacific Coast. and will tarry in
Missouri Kansas. California and else
where to see what might happen and
incidentally to take a rest
The progress of political events in
which the fate of the members of this
Senatorial trio may be interviewer is
being watched carefully. In the Cos
sip of Washington they have forged
ahead OF the others Hughes. Whit
man, Herrick, Taft. Borah. There il A
conviction that one OF the three will
reach the goal