Evening star., 1919-03-30

candidacy in the past three weeks.
Before the covenant of the league OF
nations was made public there had
been increasingly favorable discus
sion of Mr.. Taft among republicans.
That is a fact. known to republicans
in Congress to whom it had come.
Then. when Mr.. Taft fell in behind
President Wilson in whole-hearted
support of the covenant. and the
thirty-seven republican senators had
signed the round robin denounclne
it, republicans said Good night, Tart
candidacy," But wait a minute;
along came the great wave of public
sentiment in favor of some kind OF
league of nations. together with the
demand for amendment of the plan.
Mr.. Taft responded to the sugges-
tions for amendment. admitted that
the points were well taken. and over
the White House wires. through Sec
retary Tumulty. forwarded four pro-
posed amendments.
At that same time, last week, re-
publican senators who had. there
tofore, opposed the covenant prepared
to break camp and retreat from their
opposition to a more tenable position
of accepting the covenant. If amend
ed Then Mr.. Tafts friends here said:
well, that justifies Mr.. Taft and
leaves him in accord with his party,
as well as in sympathy with what
ever one believes to be the general
demand of the nation" Taft stock
went up at once. Next came the an
nouncement that the amendments
would not be accepted and there was
another change in the outlook.
Mr.. Taft's candidacy for the nomi-
nation will depend. 1t is said by poll
ticians. largely upon the final dispo-
sition of the league Of nations plan.
his association with it and his rela-
cans in the Senate.
-
Senator Harding of Ohio will be
the choice Of the Buckeye state be-
lore the. national
States tn Offer convention. as Sem
Favorite Sons. s,0F sao vii, n,ram ae Of t9aa cal
ifornia. Under the classification of
-favorite sons they will enter the
lists. while their supporters look
about for huttressing reasons for Sc
lection. Senator Harding made Z fne
impEesslqnsppon rspnhlteansz 1At the
aetf patlonAf eshves tim TEh1 BE-
6ftSided as permanent chairmA s, and
his course In the Senate, 1t 81 said.
has left no trace OF objection. He has
no adverse record. his friends point
out.
Senator johnson la acceptable, Of
course. to the progressive republi-
cans. His friends claim that If there
is any heir to the Roosevelt policies
1t is he He is admittedly q splendid
campaigner and orator Of first quail
ity Some OF the old standpatters
have not forgiven the events Of 1916.
but the fact is pointed out by Senator
Johnson's friends that his republican
colleagues in the Senate of the most
pronounced conservative type have
followed a course Of letting by-gones
be by-gones. and they apprehend no
trouble on this score
r 4
New York thus far has not present.
ed a candidate. Senator Wadsworth
+ could be unques-
Suffrage Keeping uonably in the
Wadsworth Out. time. it is is said I
but for his opposition to woman suf-
frage. The canny old managers fear
the wrath Of the woman voters. Ex-
Gov. Whitman is declared to be i'm
possible: the managers put 1t that
way and let it go at that Mr. Hughes
name thus far has not been put for
ward.
Illinois will put up Gov. Frank Low
den. His candidacy for the nominate
is assured. 1t Is well understood in
political circles. The friends Of. Sen
ator Sherman are bestirrfng them
selves. but Illinois republicans say
that the Lowden candidacy is too well
advanced to be headed of by Sena-
tor Sherman.
Indiana win put forward Gov. Good
rich for first place. The return Of In
diana to the republican fold, after
straying Off after democratic IDOLS,
will be urged as a powerful argument
in his favor. as Indiana is regarded
as a crucial state