The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-21
Thinks Taft In Lead.


 Thinks Taft In Lead.
 Walter Wellman in Chicago Record
 Herald.
 Taft is still ahead in the presidential race, and his election is probable, not wthstanding heavy democratic gains.
 The battle for the presidency has really narrowed down to this: Whoever carries New York will almost certainly win the great prize
 There is a possibility that Taft might win without New York, but it Is a re- mote chance, for it is generally conceded that if New York should go over to Bryan that will indicate a movement strong enough to sweep other states along In the current.
 It now seems clear that, barring sur prises in the west, not now really looked for by the best informed, Bryan must carry New York to save himself. With out New York he is almost certainly beaten.
 The latest and most trustworthy in- formation have from New York-and it comes from dependable sources-is to the effect that the state is well-nigh sure for Taft. One strong reason for this I shall give in a moment.
 Thus it is obvious that by the most critical and cold-blooded view of the field Taft must be regarded as holding tre- mendous advantage, despite bad repub- lican luck in states like Ohio and Indiana, and this advantage on the whole situa- ton justifies the odds of to 1 in his favor. With New York Taft can win without both Ohio and Indiana-
 The important news of the day pertains to the confidence of the republican lead CTS that they have New York assured. They have been we'll advised as to the seriousness of the situation in Ohio and Indiana. They have been told that the odds seem to be against Taft in Ohio, and that Indiana seems surely lost Their con- fidential advices have been to the effect that their best chance to make sure of Taft's election is to concentrate their strength in New York. While by no means abandoning Ohio or Indiana and still believing there Is a chance to save the former state, at least, it may be said the cardinal feature of the republican campaign from now on Is to make sure of New York. Information from high sources and worthy every confidence, is that Taft is assured of the Empire state by small but safe plurality. From other sources. not so high or gree of credence,f comes the report that the republican leaders in New York have made some sort of deal with Tammany. The great thing for Tammany in this campaign is to beat Hughes. If re-elect ed, they fear the governor will compel the legislature to interfere with local government in New York city in import ant particulars, which means loss of power to Tammany. The republican leaders in New York, from the top down, do not like Hughes. They accepted his | nomination sullenly. They will not be at all displeased if he is beaten, because in that event their organization will be free | to do as it pleases in the future, as it has done in the past Their chief con- cern is for Taft, for the federal patron age. Tammany has the city pickings anyway, and under Hughes the state
  federal offices are everything. Here are the antecedent conditions which make a deal possible-the republicans to make sure of New York for Taft, which means the White House, and Tammany to make sure of the defeat of Hughes and the election of Chanler. There Is reason to | believe that such deal has been made. | It will be denied, of course. From both sides will come the most indignant state ments that they are standing squarely by their ticket, state and. national. But | if the deal has actually been made. as we believe, the morning after the election will tell the story. There will be slump in the Tammany vote for Bryan in I the city. Up the state. where the re- publican anti-Hughes bosses are strong scratched tickets will give Chanler sur prising vSS-
 Bryan's Chances In the West.