The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-12-20

prior to the meeting in Chicago OF
June Is.
The thing which is interesting al
the present time is that in advance OF
|any preliminary campaign in Other
states, the six principal candidates
the Foraker strength being absorbed
in that of Taft for the purposes OF
comparison-will concentrate among
themselves from their own states alone
292 votes.
Hughes will have IS from New York
/ Knox 6s from Pennsylvania, Cannon
"a from Illinois, Taft, or Taft and
Foraker, 46 from Ohio, Fairbanks 80
from Indiana and La Toilette 20 from
Wisconsin.
In figuring on the probability of a
deadlock the fact should be taken into
consideration that these favorite son
states are in two close groups. That
is to say, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Wisconsin form compact group of
four states, each with favorite son.
Then there is the New York and
Pennsylvania combination, with two
states, but having large number of
delegates owing to their strength in
population.
Aspirants Are All Squeezed In"
Taft will be wedged in, in a way
between Fairbanks on the west and
Hughes end Knox on the east. His on
ly contiguous territory which is I'M
occupied will be in Michigan on the
north and Kentucky on the south.
Fairbanks, in a similar manner, is
squeezed up between Taft and Cannon
and he, too. will seek to elongate
himself into Michigan and Kentucky.
Cannon and La Toilette touch on
The north and south line, and they
will be likely to fight it out more or
less for possession of Minnesota and
Iowa, the two nearby transmissouri
states.
Judging purely from a geographical
Hughes might expect con-
siderable strength in New England,
while Knox might hope for neighbor-
hood accession from Delaware, Mary
land and West Virginia.
1t is easy to see that with six candi-
dates, each backed by his own state,
and each likely to gain some outside
strength, it would take but little hust-
ling for the delegates to run the COM
bination for the six so high as to
ballot until there had been
an immense amount of log rolling and
trading.
This, in fact, is what the politicians
expect will take place at Chicago. They
look for an exciting convention there.
Taft Leads Away From Home.
1t is admitted that Taft has the
lead outside his own state at the pre-
sent time. He is probably weaker at
nome than any of the other of the
Dig sextet.
Most people expect him to secure
not less than two thirds of the Cnlo
delegation without difficulty, including
The four delegates at large. 1t will be
'or him however, if he has to split
up the delegation with Senator Fcr-
lkei.
Hughes may suffer similar loss
N New York, whereas Knox, Fairbanks
Cannon and La Toilette are said to
De counting with great confidence on
heir home delegations for a reason
,ble number of ballots.
The national committee in it's call
specifically ratified and reaffirmed the
purely republican principle of district
representation. Not even state primary
avs will be permitted to interfere with
his doctrine, which was fought over
md established by the momentous Chi i
,ago convention in 1880, when Grant
was beaten and Garfield nominated,
because of the recognition of the right |
If district to elect its own delegates
without interference or instruction by |
The state.
Record Mixup May Come.
1t might easily happen that Taft,
Cannon, and La Toilette !
night each get vest pocket full of |
delegates from Michigan or Kentucky.
Hughes is not likely to get all of
New England, and not necessarily all
IF any one state.
The result, therefore, probably will
be mixup such as has not been seen
IN republican convention for many |
A long day.
OF late there have been two leading |
and a number of others
who were in the field on the lightning
'od principle only.
Today it is anybody's fight. The
chances favor either Taft or Hughes |
Dut Knox, Cannon. Fairbanks and La
Toilette have chance which is well |
worth a try.