Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-05
DETERMINED FIGHT
MADE BY THE ALLIES
Energetic Campaigning of the
Anti-Taft Forces.
AT WORK ON DELEGATES
Efforts Are Generally Regarded as
Hopeless.
VARIOUS EXPLANATIONS GIVEN
Great Interest Centered in the Con-
AT WORK ON DELEGATES
VARIOUS EXPLANATIONS GIVEN
Great Interest Centered in the Con-
sideration Of the Contested Cases.
National Committee Meets.

The republican national com,
mittee met this morning i'll Chi
cago to consider contests for seats
in the republican national conven-
ton. 1t was expected that the
Alabama contests would consume
the greater part of the day. The
allies are reported to be making
an energetic. vociierous campaign.
but the general opirion at Chicago
is that the opposition to Taft's
nomination is hopeless and that
the fight is being made for reasons
not disclosed.
| Special From Stan Correspondent.
/ CHICAGO. June The first impression
the newcomer in the ante convention
gathering receives is realization OF the
| fact that the allies" or anti-Taft forces.
are putting up very determined and vo-
ciferous fight Their opposition is prob
ably more vociferous and spectacular than
effective. but the fact remains that II is
attracting attention. To those coming
from the east. where the nomination OF
Secretary Taft on the first ballot has
practically been conceded for weeks past.
the situation is rather surprising and, at
the least. interesting.
All Of the allies are maintaining eiab-
crate headquarters here, with workers
and managers on hand, typewriters at
work and statements being given out ga
| lore. Incoming committeeman and dele
gates are buttonholed and compelled 10
listen to the anti-Taft arguments. Later
there will be other efforts at campa aigning
to impress upon the assembling delegates
the fact that the allies have not surren-
dered. Fairbanks. Knox, Hughes. Can
non and Foraker all have headquarters.
and their boomers are making the welkin
| ring with their praise.
| What's the use:" you ask. Well. that
is just what everybody else who knows
what is going on in republican inner cir
cles is asking Why all this bluster. fuss
and feathers. expenditure of time. money
and much energy. in the face of situa-
| ton which leading republicans think is
already good as settled?
Various Explanations.
/ I have been trying TO get satisfactory
answers to that very question. You can
not get answers outright. but you can get
a pretty good general understanding of
what it means. OF course. the managers
of the allies say that the fight is in ear
nest, and that there really may be
chance for a miscue and slip-up which
will enable one of the allies to carry away
the prize. ,ut that line of talk does not
go very far
The best explanation offered is that this
| last stand of the allies is for the purpose
of preventing the administration from
gobbling the whole convention. and turn
| Ing 1t into an administration love feast, 10
| the exclusion of all other sections of the
! republican party. Some of these wary
old republicans from west of the .Aleshe-
| nies fear the domination of the Office
| holders and the administration, with the
! consequent building up Of a powerful Of
| fice-holdng wing Of the party which
would subsequently, rule and hold power
/ Indefinitely. with the privilege of entail.
i Furthermore, this display of strength,
even though 1t may prove more apparent
| than real. is designed TO give the interests
! back of the allies a word in the framing
! OF the platform. 1t is also intended to
I put the men who supporting the al
/
| standing with the expected Taft admins
! tration TO policies for the future. These
! men think that il they can make a fight
here which will give the impression OF Il
slrong organization sufficient TO menace
Secretary Tafts nomination, they may be
given voice in platform and future policy
making. That is about all the allies ex-
| pect 10 get (way down in their hearts,,
nd get hat fhau will l,o
! lucky.
Thus far the Taft people have shown no
disposition to temporiZc or to traffic.
They are going right along preparing to
nominate the Secretary of War and IL
make their own platform after their own
fashion. Whether they will pursue a
different course will probably depend Upon
the extent OF the impression made upon
the incoming delegates by the demonstra-
! tion of the allies
The Third-Term Specter.
Everybody here realizes and admits
that there is one contingency which will
drive the allies to cover like a flock OF
frightened sheep fleeing from storm and
| the politicians are on the alert for it to
happen--that is. for the Roosevelt third
term movement TO take definite form. l.,
is almost ridiculous. the fear they have
of the third-term specter. Why. a little
child on a pair of dark backstairs is
very lion for courage compared with these
fellows who are slliyering over the third
term. Let any one but say boo" and
they turn white.
So when your Uncle w. Aldrich and
your Uncle Murray Crane and Mr. Hale
and their CO. workers get here and whisper
To
the allies forces you may see change,
and a diminution of enthusiasm In the
anti-Taft ranks 1t is we'll known, OF
course that these great republican leaders
are for Secretary Taft's nomination az
the alternative of a possible third term
When they arrive if they find the third.
term movement taking form. 1t is prophe-
sled that they will put a prompt uuietus