Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-13
the F!GHT IN OHI0
Tho Primaries VIII Be Held on
Tuesday to Select Delegates 70
the State Convention.
LARGE MAJORITY FOR TAFT
OF the s15 Delegates the Secretary u
Certain to Have 746 and His
Managers Claim They Will
Have Them All.

Columbus, o., Feb. 10.-Next Tues
day, the county primaries at which
delegates to the republican state con-
yention on March are to be selected,
will be held throughout Ohio. An
overwhelming majority Of these dele
gates will be in favor of William H.
Taft for president and the convention
may be unanimously in his favor.
Under a recent decision Of the re-
publican state central committee, It
will not be necessary to hold actual
primaries unless there is more than
one ticket in the field, and by virtue
of this ruling, in So out Of total Of S8
counties in the state, the regular Taft
delegates will be chosen merely by
the certifcation Of their names.
In the remaining 36 counties pri-
maries will be held but In only four
Of these is there opposition to Taft.
In but one county, Cuyahoga, in which
is the city of Cleveland, does the fight
against him show any sign Of conse-
quence.
The convention will be ATTENDED by
815 delegates of which number Taft
is certain to have 745, almost certain
Of 752, and his political managers are
confident that he will have them all.
The dubious spots are Knox county
with seven delegates, and Cuyahoga
county which has SO delegates. The
contest in the latter county is the
more serious, not only because Of the
greater number of delegates involved,
but because the foraker faction has
sought to bring the matter into court
and will, 1t is expected, ask the su-
preme court Monday for permission to
file the case before that body.
Minor political considerations, in the
city of Cleveland have brought about
conflicting claims as to the validity Of
two county COMMITTEES. The Taft peo-
pie claim that this is the only legal
body, and the Foraker action is set
ting up a similar assertion IN behalf
of its committee.
The board of elections of Cuyahoga
county recognized the Taft commit.
tee, but on order Of the state courts,
rescinded this action and declared in
favor Of the Foraker committee.
The primary, however. will proceed,
as though there were no legal ques-
tlon involved, but If the case is filed
before the supreme court and then de-
cided by that body in favor Of the
Foraker people, new primaries must
be called.
Late Saturday complete list Of
anti-Taft candidates for the county, |
state and congressional conventions
was accepted by the election board Of
Cuyahoga county and there will be a
fight all along the line.
In Knox county seven men, all Of
whom are Foraker adherents have en-
tered In the primaries against the
Taft candidates. They are running as
Independents, and are not claiming to
be either Taft or Foraker men.
In Lucas county, of which Toledo is
the political center, there are two
tickets In the field, but both of them
have declared In favor Of Taft. A
similar situation exists in ScIoto coun-
ty, where opposition to Phllo s. Clark,
a republican leader, has brought list
Of candidates into the fight. Both
tickets favor Taft, however and he
stands no chance of losing in any
event.
The 81 congressional district con-
ventions at which delegates to the
republican national convention will be
chosen dates all the way from Febru-
airy 10 to February "a with six as yet
uncalled.