Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1907-10-19
TAFT LEADS.
Result of the Chicago Tribune
Canvass i'm fiddle West.

"Straw votes, postcard canvasses,
and like methods of testing the direc-
ton an9 force of the political mind
before an election Or a nominating
convention are generally little to be
relied upon. But the plan which the
Chicago Tribune has followed in re-
cent canvass seems better adapted
than the more common hit-or- miss
method to give significant results. In
any case, the replies which were re-
ceived by the Tribune are interesting
even if they indicate the direction of
merely local breezes and not of the
great trade winds of the country's
political seas. inquiries were sent to
editors of republican newspapers, re-
publican congressman and legislators,
and other political leaders of the
party in eleven states of the Middle
West, including Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Mimi esota,
North and South Dakota, Iowa, Ne
braska. Missouri and Kansas. Four
questions were asked: Do you ap-
prove the progressive politics of the
president? Do you prefer candidate
of the progressive school for his sue
cessor Or man of more conservative
views? Of the following suggested
nominees, Cannon, Fairbanks, Knox,
Hughes, and Taft, which are your
first, second and third choices? Have
you any other candidates in mind?
More than seventeen hundred replies
were received, of these only sixty
five answered no to the first question.
About as many failed to answer the
question, but 1869 registered their en-
dorsement of the presidents policies.
A slightly smaller number want
progressive successor, but still the
preponderance is overwhelming, 1895
to 176. In the vote for favorite candi-
date the result is no less noteworthy.
Secretary Taft leads for first choice
with 944 votes, with Senator La Fol-
lette- although his name was not
mentioned in the list prepared by the
Tribune-second at 239, Speaker Cam
non third at 1911, Governor Hughes
fourth at 1874, and Vice President
Fairbanks and President Roosevelt
nearly tied for the fifth place at 159
and 1853 respectively. The votes credit
ed to Mr.. Roosevelt, says the Tribune
care from persons who objected to
the form of the third question and
refused to name any ather can didate
than the president. A majority of the
replies sent in showed that the writer's
would prefer Mr.. Roosevelt's no.
mination to any other; some of them
want him s'if he will accept" while
others say he should be named Gin |
spite of himself" Mr.. Taft not only
is the leader in the entire section,
but is the first choice of eight of the
eleven states, Illinois, Indiana and
Wisconsin each being loyal to ssfav-
orite son"-Cannon, Fairbanks and |
La Toilette, respectively. On this |
basis the Tribune calculates that Mr.. |
Talt would have 100 delegates to the
National Convention, Mr.. Cannon 81, |
Mr.. Fairbanks 80 and Mr.. La Toilette |
26. In the vote for second choice,
Gov. Hughes leads with $50, Mr.. Taft
being second with 322, and Mr.. Cam
non third with 259. For third choice |
Mr.. Hughes leads again with 28O. The
outcome of this canvass j. significant |
as indicating that, whatever may he |
the attitude of Wall Street and Gre |
great industrial and financial interest |
of the country toward the president,
the republicans of the powerful Mid
die West are strong in their approval
of his policies; that they want as his
successor progressive man who will
carry on those policies; and that at the
present time Secretary Taft is looked
upon by them as the best man to carry
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