Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-02-27
ROOSEVELT HAS
REPUBLICANS IN
WORRIED MOOD
Political Talk in His Favor
Once Branded as Gossip
Is Now Recognized as the
Real Stuff.
Especial to the Portland JournaI)

Especial TO the fortIano JouVnahJ
Washington, Feb. 19.-Washington
is waking to the fact that the talk of
Roosevelt as the Republican candidate
for president is much more than talk
At first there was a disposition TO
pass it along as mere gossip and
stuff" 1t has suddenly become very
vitalized and real. Roosevelt lieuten-
ants are coming out of the woods at
unexpected places, and they are not all
survivors of the Armageddon band by
any means. Many of them wore epau-
let's in the service of Taft four years
ago
This is causing an uncannN shudder
in the ranks of the old guard. They
we're so sure that Roosevelt had been
laid away as a candidate that they
thought impossible such things as have
recently happened. Things were con-
sidered so we'll shaped that they were
SAVING nice things about the colonel,
all fer the purpose of making 1t cas-
icr for him to come back to the fold.
Now they perceive that he is coming
hack with a vengeance. They have
told each other that his nomination
this year was a fanciful suggestion, TO
say they are surprised by the develop
ments in Massachusetts and other
states of the east is putting it mildly
Political captains here are satisfied
that the Roosevelt wagon is provided
with something besides a band. The
chain of thought goes back to that bill
lion dollar dinner in New York few
weeks ago at the home of Gary, Of the
steel trust Roosevelt in recent
speeches has been belaboring the Will
son foreign policy to the exclusion of
all &c
now about the recall of judicial decs
ions. and he is not lambasting the bis
corporations.
So IL he has made his peace with
pow erful financial interests. and re
tains the enthusiastic support of those
who went down the line with him in
1912. how is he to be stopped this year?
This is becoming n distressing prob
lem for defenders Of the faith like
Barnes and Pcnrose. who dislike the
taste 81 crow.
The Massachusetts Affair.
Take tie case Of Massachusetts. Tn
til the other day II was assumed that
senator Weeks was to have his own
way in his home state. That is the
courteous way of doing things Then
came the Roosevelt bedlam, with four
first class bcllrlnEers at the head
-Four of the leading men of the state
three of them governors of re-
cent years. come forth With the an
nouncement that they are Roosevelt
candidates for delegates at large tc
the affair a Chicago, and they are go
ing to be Roosevelt candidates, even If
the colonel calls them bad boys and
asks them to quit.
The personalities OF these four men
49,. -. ..1
wealthy. active and fun of fight. Here
they are;
Grafton u. Gushing. ex-lieutenant
governor, narrowly defeated for this
nomination Of governor by Samuel "
Mccall last year, a Taft delegate a
Chicago In 1912. n man of large per
sunal following
Charles :. Bird a straight-out pro-
Eressive, who put the Bull Moose partl
in second place in his state as a can
didate for governor in 1918, man o
high personal standing and UNIVERSAL,
respected.
Augustus p. Gardner. leader of thu
night in Massachusetts for Taft agains
kooseN cit in 1912. a congressman ant
So -'H-I"a' II Senator Lodge.
Robert NJ Washburn, prominent a
Il I-.en,DcI 90 tine SAFE senate and ais
u regular Republican.
only ono Of this quartet. 1t viii b
noted. joined the Roosevelt "heresy
in 1912. They are now ON common
ground. Congressman Gardner toll
why he prefers Roosevelt to Hughes
Il prefer Roosevelt to Justlc
Hughes" he said, because kno,
what the colonel stands for. No on
knows where Justice Hughes stand
on any question now before the peopl
This is not uttered in criticism Of hir
lit is perfectly correct attitude fc
justice of the supreme court-but
is not an attitude which win appeal {
the voters, especially as election da
draws near.
These are not normal times. TT
man elected president this year prof
ably will be at the head OF this natio
at a time hen all OF the big natior
OF Europe viii he able to mobolize 20
100000 armed men. These nation
will be ruined financially. but we wi
be rich. 1t will be trying time. ar
want to know the man who is to |
\ president"
FL Echoes From Illinois.
on the same day that this openir
gun roared in Massachusetts. thel
came dribbings from Illinois. Tv
men filed at Springfield as candidate
for delegates TO the Chicago CONVEX
tion from Uncle Joe Cannon's distriC
and announced that they are 4
Roosevelt Another man filed from II
old Lorimer district. and he, too is 4
the most prominent citizen Of Oyst
Bay.