Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-01-24
BLOW TO ROOSEVELT
THE ACTION OF TIE NEBRASKA
REPUBLICANS STARTLEs
HIM.
Hold on the West Is Breaking and
Friends Alarmed by the De-
feetions.
SOME HOT POLITICAL TALK

Washington, Jan. 23.Another blow
70 President Rcoseyelt's political hopes
was struck from an unexpected quart
er when the Republicans of Nebraska
decided to put Off their convention TO
May IS. The presidents supporters
urged an early convention Sc they
could start the Roosevelt ball rolling
and SO confident We're they a few days
ago that they announced that the con.
yention would be held in March. Then
something happened. Just what it was
has not been made clear 10 Nelras-
kans in Washington, but It's effect has
been to convince them tEat Tire prtsi-
dents opponents Won substantial vic
tory.
1t IS conceded that instructions fo.
Roosevelt will be harder. 30 obtain in
May than in March and that the pref
. et1e'14NG 7 oi iGNtIN IiiS TIT support
of Nebraska s delegation has greatly
lessened
Startles the Presidents Friends
The lesson conveyed by the action
Of the Nebraska state committee is
very startling 10 the presidents
friends. They have been assuming,
and without contradiction. that what
ever eastern states might dc in the
matter of sidetraeking his candidacy
the west could be relied upon to fight
for him to the last ditch. The west
was aflame With Roosevelt enthusiasm
these friends haye=been prociaiming.
and, clriously, everybody believed
them. New York, PENNSYLVANIA and
their neighbors might be dominated
BY Wall street and seek the presidents
defeat, but the west. with its cattle
ranges and cowboys, would be f1q'
Roosevelt, first. last and always.
1t can hardly be charged that the
west has fallen under the spell of Wall
street, whicn the president has ass1lm-
ed is hostile to him A more reasona-
bic explanation is found in the state.
ment OF western senator, who Dos
sesses unusual facilities for keeping in
touch with public sentiment, that the
Roosevelt boom is decaying and will
fall to pieces and disappear before
the Chicago convention meets.
Surrenders Ohio to Hanna.
The west is as seriously afflicted
with distrust of the president as the
east, and his case becomes harder to
defend each day that it remains on
the peoples calendar. He has lost
pennsylvania and will probably lose
New York. Indiana is for Hanna and
the president himself has consented 10 I
permit Hanna tC. select the DELEGATES
from Ohio.
In thus yielding to Hanna he made |
one of those extraordinary and unac-
countable maneuvers for which he has
become celebrated since he became
president. He withdrew his support
from Senator Foraker, who was in !
Ohlo planning a fight to elect a delega
ton pledged tc support the president.
Foraker suddenly found himself in the
position of the man who sawed the
llmb between himself and the tree
trunk and he returned to WASHINGTON.
Deserted by the president without
warning, he was compelled to abandon
the ambitious plans which he was
making in common with friends to
capture at least a part of the Ohio
delegation, and he now finds himself
IN the unfortunate position of politi-
elan without a following.
Foraker's Friends Charge Treaehery.
II he attends the national conven-
ton, Foraker will go there by grace
of Senator Hanna and it is highly im.'