Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-03
MICHIGAN POLITICS
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS TO
OPEN VERY SOON.
Special p,spa,ch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich. July 3.-The
congressional campaigns will open In Mich
igan very soon. In all but the tenth and
twelfth districts, Hamiltons and Young's,
the nominations will be made by primary
elections to be held in September. The
direct vote method will be the salvation
of Representative Townsend IN the second.
1t Is not that his services have been In
any degree unsatisfactory. but his district
Is one In which the two-term tradition has
deep root. In all the history of the dis
trict two terms and out has been the rule,
and were the nomination to be made by
convention it Is doubtful II even the distin-
guished record Mr.. Townsend has made
would save him from the ambitions of other
candidates. AS 1t Is, Mr.. Townsend will
be renominated without opposition.
In the third district Mr.. Gardner will be
opposed for denomination by Corvis H.
Barre of Hillsdale. and 1t Is an interesting
circumstance that Mr.. Gardner looks to
the primary election system, the adoption
OF which he vigorously opposed. to pull
him through
Mr.. Hamilton will be renominated by con-
vention in the fourth, and there are no
signs OF opposition to the denomination by
direct vote of William Alden Smith in the
fifth, Sam w. Smith in the sixth, Mr.. Nor
ran in the seventh, Mr.. Fordney in the
eighth. Mr.. Land in the tenth, and Mr..
Darragh in the eleventh. In the ninth
Mr.. Bishop will be opposed by ]. c. Nc
Laughlin of Muskegon, and 1t Is possible
the direct nominating system may be his
undoing Muskegon county is the largest
in the district and will naturally cast its
votes for Mclaughlin, as will also some
OF the other counties whose interests
closely allied with those OF Muskegon. Mr..
Bishop has been unfortunate In some of
his post office appointments and this will
also work against him. In the twelfth. Mr..
Young will probably be renominated. There
is some opposition to him. but it does not
seem to be crystalizing. In the first. or
Detroit, district, Mr.. DENLY will undoubt-
edly be renomnated by direct vote.
Soon after his return home it is expected
Mr.. Townsend will announce his can
is likely he will prove a formidable cam
dtdate. Public sentiment does not take
kindly to the candidacy of William G. Nc
MILAN. the only Detroit man who has
Hill of Saginaw has not developed the
strength hoped for. William Alden Smith
has been making progress that seems to
have alarmed eastern Michigan, and unless
some other eastern Michigan candidate is
brought out the election Is likely to go to
Smith. Townsend is regarded as the most
available geographically and by reason of
his record in the two sessions of Congress
in which he has sat His activity for the
railroad rate bill and other administration
measures would tend to make his candidacy
popular with the people with townsend
as a candidate it is possible eastern Michi-
gan would welcome q nomination by the
state convention to be held in Detroit July
81 instead of leaving it to the next legis-
lature.
In the matter of the convention nomina-
ton Arthur HILL who at first insisted upon
It. has changed his mind. William Alden
Smith who also insisted upon some popu-
lar expression. is now lukewarm. though
still favorably inclined to having the matter
brought before the convention Tor discus
sion and action.