Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-13
TRYING 70 AVOID A STORMY
: CONVENTION.

Tho Associated Press which but
seldom sends out on It's wires stories
Of internal strife In the great poh'>
cal parties. on Monda I night. gave to
its subscribe rs a story OF the enoris
that are being made by the Repnbh-
can leaders TO avoid a stormy con-
vention at Chicago. II the Associa'
ted Press takes cognizance OF such
matter there Is absolutely no qnes-
ton but that affairs in the Republic
can party must be in critical COLI
dillon, II such story was read in
a partisan paper there would perhaps
be reason to doubt II. but the Asso-
ciat.d Press Is a non partisan news.
gathering association which keeps its
hands of OF all party strifes before
conve ntions or during campaign
until the time has arrived when
can no longer refuse to give the
| quarrel credence. |
| Il has been the consensus OF Opin-
ion OF Independent newspapers and
observers for some time past mat the
Republican convention at Chicago
would be the stOrmiest in the history
of the party unless something was
done to avoid II. This belief is fast
bf coming an absolute certainty. The
: predictions which are being made In
this connection are not based so
much on the number Of candidates
! as Oh the peculiar conditions which
prevail and the methods which are
being used in favor Of some OF the
candidates. The belief Is general,
ana it Is growing stronger everyday.
that the active Interference Of Pres
4 ident Roosevelt In favor Of Secretary
Taft and the pernlcious activity OF
the Federal oficeholders In his be-
half Is going to breed friction not
known since the days when the Sal
warts and Half Breeds had their
fight and which resulted In the first
election of Grover Cleveland. The
friends Of the other candidates are
very bitter because OF the work be-
ing done for Taft by the Federal Of
nceholders in the South, because
There is no possibility Of the Repub-
licans carrying . single Southern
state. hence the expectations are that
Fairbanks. Hughes. Cannon and Knox
will not take kindly to the Overtures
which are being made for peace.
Chairman New OF the national COM
mittee. has already recognized the
danger OF trouble from this source
by announcing tina, all contests viii
be referred for decision to the whole
conmittee. Instead Of to q sub-com-
mittee. and notifying members Of the
cemnittee to hold themselves Ia read
iness to be summoned to Chicago IT
IN unusually early date. But no mat
ter how these contests are decided by
the committee. they are ap. to break
out In the convention.
The leaders Of the Republican par
~ have bcen striving hard TO mini
mize the fact that the rivalry between
Secretary Taft and the field" has
become intense. but They have finally
been compelled to acknowledge that
the Interference of the Federal once
holders In behalf OF Tat, has been
50 open and diagram, that 1t viii be
q little shor, Of . miracle II actual
bitterness Is avoided at the Chicago
convention. There IL not the least
doubt that :he rotten delegations
from the South viii Be much in evil
depce AT the conventioa and Il re-
mains 10 he seen whether Chairman
News plan Of referring the contests
TO the whole committee and the ef-
forts 81 the peaccmakerx in Wash
inston win proven, tho storm which
- nor brewing.