The Cairo bulletin., 1907-11-20
.CONF[RERES ARE
IN DEAD Lock
SELECTION OF DELEGATES TO
NATIONAL CONVENTION TIE
STUMBLING BLOCK.
CANNON'S AMENDMENT
Which Leaves Selection With Con-
gressional District Convention
Likely to Be Agreed to
Next Week.
Special to The Bulletin.

| Special to The Bulletin.
Springfield, ILL.,, Nov. l9.--The Joint
lconference committee on the primary
election bill is In deadlock II Is
unable to reach an agreement as to
1.-THE manner OF nominating pTesldeii-
ltial electors and the selection of dele
gates to the national conventions
whether by direct primary vote. as
provided by the Oglesby bill, or BY
!ccnventions, as provided by the SEN
ate amendment The committee has
taken a recess until November 95, by
which time 1t Is probable that some
agreement will have been reached
There is really no dispute about ths
electors: everybody ap-
|parently agrees that they ought to be
named by convention: but opposition
to striking national convention dele
lgates from the bill, thus leaving their
selection to conventions, has de-
veloped and it may be ascrihed To
various motives Some OF the mem
bers undoubtedly believe that the pri-
mary election ought to include ma
Itional delegates. others are suspeeted
o. opposing the senate amendment on
this point because they do not wa'it
a primary law of any kind; while still
others have conceived the idea ti,at
the amendment Is to have an import
ant bearing on a supposed contest
between President Roosevelt and
Speaker Cannon for the Illinois dele
cation to next years national con-
yention
The truth Is that so far as Illinois
Is concerned there will be no cen
test between Roosevelt and Cannon.
I"uncle Joe has said repeatedly. aud
Ihis friends nave reiterated the state
|ment. that II the president II 10 stand
for denomination he will be for hin:
and 1t is we'll understood, among
those In position to know, that the
Cannon candidacy for the presidency
Is based wholly on the assumpH, n
that Roosevelt will adhere firmly to
his original declaration that he vii
not accept another nomination. In
deed. Mr.. Cannon does not admit his
cwn candidacy at all. he will 70 no
farther than to confess that II the
nomination shorld fall to him thers
would be no alternative but to &C
oept" But there Is a large number
OF the shrewdest politicians II the
state who believe that next year will
furnish Illinois chance to get the
presidency, and who believe that
Uncle joe Cannon will prove to be
the strongest candidate now before
the country.
What these men want next year Is
a delegation composed of the ablest
men in the party-men whose politi
cal sagaeity and influence are of the
highest order-men who have ma
tional acquaintance and will Re able
to bring into line delegates from
ether states. The objection to the
selection of national delegates az
party primaries is that In selecting
from large number OF aspirants.
some mistakes will be made: there
will be some accidents" of no
political standing or influence. whose
presence will weaken and possibly
divide the delegation This is true
not only of next year. but of the
years 10 come. and Mr.. Cannon's
criticism that such method Of nam
ing delegates would "emaculate tAe
state Of Illinois" in national politics
Is founded upon common sense and
past experiences.
One important fact to be consid-
ercd In this connection is that the call
for the Republican national ccnven-
tions for a number OF years has pro
vlded that the delegates and alter
mates should be selected from the seY-
eral congressional districts by con
(Concluded on Third PaRpLl