Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-05-27
TAFT CONVENTION COMPARED.

A Washington dispatch to the Rec
ord Herald which contained very
thorough analysis of the makeup of
the republican national convention
said: Taft has 602 delegates either
nailed down by instructions definitely
committed to his cause by resolution
of the convention which chose the
delegates or by personal pledges and
public announcement of their pro-
Taft views.
Mr.. Hitchcock, manager of the Taft
campaign, presents table, showing
pledges to Taft as follows: BY in
structions, 5l7; by Endorsement, 49,;
by declaration 81; total, 5S4 AS only
491 votes are necessary to nominate a
candidate, the 5l7 would leave very
comfortable margin. In the Record
Herald's tables, however, the number
of delegates classified as instructed
or otherwise committed to Taft, no
contests, " is 4s0. That is the ire
ducible, minimum, against which
there is the estimate of the allies
that Taft is certain of only 1853 votes
But this estimate is made on theory
of contests and of the possible course
of uninstructed delegates which might
properly be considered humorous
On the other hand the correspon-
dent of The Record Herald seems to
be quite within reason when he in
Inmates that nothing but a dispensation
of Providence will prevent the nomi-
nation of Taft on the first ballot. 1t
will require that or an unheard of de
sertion, for with his enormous lead
and prestige it gives he should be able
to count on many adherents among
delegates not absolute committed TO
him 1t is pointed out that his
closest competitor, Knox, has only 20
delegates, and that is fact of great
significance. The ''allies' have no
effective strength to trade on among
themselves, they have no following 10
speak of beyond small local follow
ing, while Taft has taken delegates
from favorite sons and has sympa-
thizers among the delegates who are
pledged to them.
We find no exact resemblance TO the
situation in the conventions of other
years, but ii we accept Taft's strength
at only $50 some of them indicate pret-
ty clearly how the vote will 60 There
was no contest in 1904 or in 1900. and
Mckinley was nominated on the first
ballot in 1896 by large majority.
Harrison won easily on the first ballot
in 1892. But in 1888 there was a real
fight Sherman started with 229 votes
against big field, Gresham being
second with III votes That year 4l6
votes were necessary to a choice, and
Harrison won on the eighth ballot
after he had gained heavily by Access
sions from the other candidates.
In the convention of 1884 Blaine had
33419 votes on the first ballot and Arthur
27S. George F Edmunds. with 90
NObOof was otiOh6Ci anN VI ldll ,
opponents. There was sls votes in the
convention, so that Blaine's lead was
not near as great as Taft's, but Blaine
won on the fourth ballot.
Grant had a famous start in 1880
with 304 votes but Blaine had 2S4 and
Sherman had more votes than Knox
has now. A combination could have
beaten Grant at any time, end the
necessary votes were finally thrown to
Garfield. In 1876 four candidates be-
sides BLAME started with good trading
strength, and Hayes won on the sew
enth ballot
Taft will 20 into the convention with
a majority, but if majority is not
actually bound to him there could be
no hope for the opposition in a field
which produces no competitor within
hailing distance