The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1907-11-28
DELEGATES TO THE NEXT NATIONAL
CONVENTION.

must not go as delegates 10 the StaIe
Conventions or to the next National
Con yer tion pledged to his nomina-
ton was most wise and timely. |
But 1t Is stating 1t mildly to say
that this announcement has thrown
CONSERVATION into the ranks Of Ger
tain Federal officeholders who have |
been declaring loudly for Roosevelt,
but who have been mum as oys
tiers az to whom they were for TO
second choice. The President IN
questionably knew that In mum /
Der Of Southern States there were
certain Federal officeholders who
were figuring on going as delegates
to the National Convention pledged
to Roosevelt, but who were oppos-
ing being pledged to any one for a
second choice who stands for the
Presidents policies. He also knew
that 1t was not safe to have many
delegates Of that kind in The Con
vention.
It is no doubt a fact that some
such officeholders have been figuring
on getting elected as delegates under
cover of being pledged to ROose-
welt, but who believed that the
President would not take another
nomination, and that, therefore,
they would 60 to the Convention
with their hands free 80 that they
could trade to their own advantage.
Fortunately, this danger is now re
moved.
There are other good effects that
will follow this announcement.
First, 1t will have a fine effect upon
the Republican party In all of the
Southern States. It simply means
that no Federal officehOlder can 60
as a delegate to the National Con
vention. He does not dare to go,
unless he goes for Roosevelt or for
some one whom the President Is
known to have confidence In as his
successor. It is generally believed
that the Convention will and should
tender the President a nomination,
whether he will accept or not. In
deed, that is the overwhelming SEN
timent of the people. Therefore,
North Caaolina and every other
Southern State should and must
send delegation pledged, first, to
tender the nomination to President
Roosevelt, and, second, to nominate,
If he will not accept, man who
stands unqualifiedly for his policies
and a man in whom the administra
tion has the utmost confidence.
The announcement of the Presi
dent means that he wants the peo-
pie to elect the delegates and wants
representatives of the people, out.
side Of the oficeholders, to 60 as
delegates to the next National Con
vention. One Of the things that has
kept the Republican party in the
South from growing is that toe
many of the officeholders have tried
to keep the people from attending
the primaries or any of the conven
tions It has been the purpose Of
such officeholders to keep the people
out of the primaries, in order tina
they might control and elect them
selves delegates. The President hal
declared that he will not have this
The effect ought to be and, We be
lieve, will be to encourage the rani
and file of the party to come ou
and attend the primaries mex
spring, and to send representative
people who are not professiona
oficeholders and Office seekers a.
delegates to all the conventions
This would put renewed vigor int
the party. would encourage the ranl
and file to work, and, besides, woulG
be an invitation for the recruits t.
join the party.
The announcement of the Presi
dent has also, at the same time, 81
fenced the mouths of a number o
his enemies who have been claim
ing that he would be renominatet
by q convention filled with ant
dominated by his officeholders. II
short, the President was being EN-
barrassed by the loud protestation
from his own officeholders that b
must be renominsted.
Thus, the President has not onl,
set matters right, but at the sam
time he has done the Republican
party, especially in the South,
great service. In short, the Presi
dent has extended an invitation t
the rank and file to go into the pri
maries and control the convention
and elect delegates who hold n
Office from the administration.
We believe the people will
gladly accept this invitation in
deed, they would have 30 acted il
the past, if they had been permit
ted by the professional officehold
ems and by those who call them
selves s'the organization'' in man.
Counties. There are many Countie
in North Carolina where what
called "the organization" is only
handful of Republicans, and the.
are professional officeholders VIII,
have tried to keep everybody els
ont Of the party.
The action Of the President make
1t possible for the party to throw