Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-20
Believed Secretary Is frying 10
Steal Illinois frlm Speaker.
EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF RUM0R
Some of the Prominent Politicians in
Chicago Want 20 Get on the Taft
Band Wagon While Front Seats Are
Vacant.

CHICAGO. Feb. 19.-According TO
the Record Herald, which has shown
strong pro-Taft tendencies, move
ment TO deliver the Illinois delega-
ton TO Taft in tho national convcn-
ton. in spite of the well developed
'favorite son" movement of Speaker
| Cannon, has gained strong Roadway.
rhe demand for a straight Sc
lection OF national delegates Is en-
pected 10 be made at the meeting of
the Republican state committee In
Springfield next Tuesday. Corpora
ton Counsel Brundage, of Chicago,
who declared the people OF the state
are In favor of Taft and against "Un-
Gle Joe Cannon. has swung the Taft
banner to the breezes and the situa-
ton now Is such, the Record Herald
says, that n repetition of the 1896
contest. when Illinois was won for
Mckinley In spite OF the fight made
for tho Senator Cullom on the "fav-
orite son" proposition, ID not only
possible, but altogether probable.
While this movement was taking
shape In Chicago. the Republican con-
srcssional committee of the twenty
first dlstrict-the Springfield district
| II
method whereby Uncle Joe" will be
able to pick two national delegate.
that will not only vote for him as
favorite SON. nut Will repose quiet
| ly In his vest pocket until he trades
them off TO n reactionary, II such
deal Is framed up, to beat the admin
'istration for the convention. The
scheme in the twenty first district Is
said to be simple. The congressional
convention Will be made up of Office
holders under the direct control Of
the Cannon forces and will name as
national delegates whoever Is called
for. The rest Is easy.
This action at Litchfleld was TAX
en-. despite the fact that the Republi-
can state committee is to hold n
meeting Tuesday for the purpose Of
determining the manner In which the
delegates to the state and national
conventions arc to be chosen. One
feature of the LItchfeld political
porch climbing" as 1t ID called, was
IT'D suddenness. Runiors are current
today that the action Will be dupli-
Gated as hurriedly as possible In 9TH
er congressional districts where the
Cannon forces hold sway.
Yet Attorney Brundage is outspok-
en- In his opinion that the big war
secretary will get a majority Of the
Illinois delegates. II have no doubt
that Illinois is for Taft" he said. at
ought to be. In my Judgment n fair
method IN selecting national dele
gates would leave Cannon little moro
in the state than his own congress
sional district. In Cook county the
overwhelming sentiment is for Taft
and against Cannon. have received
assurances from political friends all
over the state. particularly the wes-
tern and central sections. that there
Is little or no Cannon sentiment" It
Is the scheme OF the Taft men TO
have the state committee In the coun-
ties where the voters themselves and
mot the committee shall select the
delegates and send them to the con-
gressional and state conventions.
| The Taft men claim that Cannon
may not swing more than six of the
twenty-fiv congressional districts for
himself; that so per cent. of the sen-
timent is for Taft. and that Cannon
hopes to control the Illinois delega-
ton simply for trading purposes. They
attribute the following plans to Can
non: Would have delegates that can
be delivered to an anti Roosevelt
candidate In case he fails to get the
nomination; would choose congress
sional committeeman who hold feder-
al positions to select convention
that VIII vote for the delegates he