Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-28
TAFT'S FRIENDS BOOM
HIM FOR WHITE HOUSE
Claim League of Nations Advoc-
acy Has Increased His Strength;
No Other in Sight.
From the brooklyn Eagle.

the fact that Mr. Taft's administ ration
OF the affairs Of the nation for one term
of four years WAS not the best that the
country has known. vet canvass nj the
present time of the Repul lcan Presi-
dental possil ilities for 1920 develops the
interesting fact that the former President
rs being seriously considered by many
persons. both politicians and lnymen, TO
carry the Republican banner next year
Mr.. Taft ~ Of bigger caliher now than
he was when President This Is generally
admitted. He is also III closer touch with
the people of the country than was the
case either when he first ran Tor Prcsi-
dent and was elected or when he ran
for second term against Woodrow VII
son and WAS defeated Not only rs tins
conceded hy many Of his former political
enemies within the Republican party
especially the progrcssivcs dunng
the next Is months he expects To become
hetter acquainted with the desires OF the
Republicans Of the Middle and Far West.
In n wav. the war is responsible for
the development of sentiment IN favor
of another term as President for Mr. TAFT,
The war gave Mr. Taft the opportunity
to get hack INTO active pr ilc lite and
he made the best of tie opp rtunity by
devoting has entire time IL tho study ~
all Iig pu' lie questions. lbs pul llC mt
teranccs during the time the country
was nj war and since the signing ot the
ar7risticc have shown care and thought
III their preparation.
TArr's wo X roR LEAGUE or NATToNr.
The work which tho former President
has done in connection with the move
for a League Of Nations has done much
10 rcirftnte Lim in popular esteem Then,
too. he he's not been caustic critic Oi
tho conduct II the war. but has per
formed sterling service rs chairman m
tho War ai,or Board His decisions IN
TINT Office have shown that he cornrrc-
hends the prn lens of labor and is hy
~ r,cars u-fricndlv ~ ts nsprGtIons
There il but little doubt the MIR,
Taft has kept pace with the changes
that have taken place III pubic opinion
during the past two years. In thus
respect he has left far behind hun the
leaders of the Old Ilnc Wing Of the
Republican party the Same leaders
that stood hv him III 1912, when he
was deserted by hts former friend, Colonel
Roosevelt. and tho progrcssives lie
has gotten away from many 0t his stand
Pat ideas, according To his friends lie
does not believe with the old Guard
leaders that ANYTHING labeled Rrpuhhcan
is al right for the public
But whether he has reached the polnt
whore the progressive wing at the party
will ruIlv around hum Is st,ll prohlrmatlcal
He will not. or Ht least does. not, favor
many of the ideas which tho progresslvcs
stand Tor lie believes many of them
far too radical for the good of the country.
Then. too. he Is defeated candidate.
l. a NJ tho - and
pat and progressive elements that a
defeated candidate can hc successful
against the Democrats IN 1920. An
other drawback 20 Mr.. Taft IS that he
is no politician lie either cannot o.
will nor play the political game. lie
il too good natured, too big hearted,
too honest, 10 seize political advantage
for his own interests
FRIENDS say TAFT ms GAINED STRENGTH
Consequently. the only alternative is
to he 4 great popular leader. %
that the answer TO the question whether
William Howard Taft can secure TIC
Republican nomination IN 1920 all hinges
| on III ability 10 gain the support oi
majority Of the Republican voters.
Never while active III politics has ne
| shown that he is a commander OF the
| dencv. and especially since the begin
ming Of the war, his friends declare ths;
| he has gained considerable number
| of followers throughout the country
| II is claimed that labor Is friendly
! TO hln and that If nominated IN 1926
! bv the Republicans he would be able tC
| pct a majority Of the labor vote Tins
| claim for MIR. Taft Is based on the Way
! and manner he handled the interests
| of the laboring men in all controversies
| that came beford the War Labor Board
/ There is no question that he rendered
| Justice to the workingmen OF the country
| IN all their disputes during the war WITH
| capital. In tins respect. hIs decisions
| were. to large extent Just the opposite Il
| his attitude toward labor while President.
! Friends of the former Presi 'ent declare
| that he entertains no hope whatever OF
/ securing another Presidential nomination
/ Be this rs 1t may, unless during the next
| fifteen months some other Republican
| comes to the front, he viii be considered
| and considered seriously, by many men IN
| the Republican party when the time
| comes TO select standard bearer IN 1920
| Notwithstanding the fact that his
, friends claim he has no hankerlng after
/ the Republican nomination IN 1920, Mr.
| Taft does believe that reformation within
| the Republican party Is needed 1t is
| said that he realizes the leaders of tht
party, both progressive and standpat
! Will not see the new vision Of things that
! are transpiriug right here al home, not tC
| speak Of international matters What
| he wants Is TO have the rank and file make
! the leaders see II
! With the exception Of former President
| Taft there is no man outside Of the Senate
who has developed sufficient strength
! to Cntitlc him to be seriously considered
4s 4 Republican presidential possibility
/ This being the case it Il necessary TO CON
sider the senatorial Republican presl-
dental possibilities
! Senator Harding, Of Ohio, has been
mentioned rs the most available presi.
! dential candidate. Many politicians, es-
/ pecia!Iy il the Last, would like to sec
nominated a man who would be sure to
/ carry Ohio.
/ Senator Lodge, suggested by Colonel
Roo seYelt as compromise candidate n
1916 is regarded as out Of the question
he is i stal dpatter The same Is true ol
Senator KnoS Senator Rorah is un-
/ classified lie plays a lone hand and on,
never knows i4st where TO find him. lie
i is regarded suspiciously by the Last, and
/ the u est does not know whether he be
! longs to tacir group Or not
/ Then there is Hiram VI. Johnson 81
California lie Is a progressive in every
sense Of the word. At the present time
he ii entirely out Of sympathy With tho
general attitude OF ti&e Eastern Repuhli-
4