The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-11
PLOT AGMNS ITAFI
RUNS On { ! ROCKS |. G
SCHEME 10 PREVENT NoMINlA-
TON BY CONTESTS I'M CON.
vENTioN is SPOILED.
FRIENDS HAVE COMMITTEE
WALTER WELLMAN SAYS. Ma
TioNAL BODY WILL SEE
THAT STRICT JUSTICE
Is DONE.
BY walter WeIIman.

WASHINGTON March 1.-THE
friends of President Roosevelt and
Secretary Taft are in the majority in
the national committee. This fact has
been ascertained beyond the possible
it's of doubt. The significance Of It Is
very great. 1t means that no spurious
contest from the south or elsewhere
can get before the convention except
in a minority report. 1t means that
the plot to create contests, confusion
and chaos cannot succeed. 1t means,
with little more than the shadow OF
uncertainty. the nomination of TAFT on
the frst ballot. And II any period OF
waiting and of perplexity comes to
that convention the nominee will not
be an opponent Of the administration,
but the chief of the administration
himself.
The policy Of the administration
TAFT leaders as to contests from the
south or elsewhere is this-President
Roosevelt and Judge Taft are both
in favor of 1t, and that settles It:
To give a square deal; to have sub
committees patiently hear all con-
tests. to seat the legal. regular del
egates. no matter whether they are
| for the admInistration.Taft programme
or not
On account of the efforts of the
enemies of the President and of Taft
to stir up contests and scandals In
the south. the Tyft managers recently,
determined to ascertain exactly where
they stood in the national Republican
convention. They know the conyen,
ton was to be with them-a Roose-
1 veItTaft convention. But did they
have the national committee? Would
their opponents be able to bring in
majority reports in favor of the seat
ing Of a lot of trumped-up delegates
/ from the south? Inquiries were made
as to predictions of all the mem
bers of the national committee
/ Nothing was left to chance or to
luck. The facts were asoertained IN
every case. There are fifty-four
members of the national committee,
one from each state and Territory and
the District of Columbia. Thirty
three of these are out-and-out Roose'
welt Taft men and FIVE or six more
are much mores likely to be friendly
.,,r otherwise. Thus the Roosevelt
Taft forces have safe, clear working
majority of the committee. Their
strength on any square proposition
cannot be less than SO to 81, and 1t
is much more likely to be nearly 40
to IA. with the committee to pass
on contests and the convention to up.
hold the majority reports, the Roose-
velt.Taft people are not doing much
worrying over the southern consPir.
acy Of their opponents.
AT the same time it Is true that
practically the only danger to the
success of the Taft movement-and
it is n very small menace-lies in the
feeling among southern Republicans,
for the greater part of the Republi.
cans Of the north have gladly &C.
cepted Taft as substitute for Roose,
welt. The north understands Taft as
great big man on his own account
one OF the biggest and strongest men
we have ever had in our public life
1t is true that in some parts of the
west they still banker for TEDDY
But the vast majority of northern
Republicans, even Including a goodly
part Of those living in States having
"favoIte sons" are heartily and
warmly for Taft, because they believe
he will make a great President II
elected But all through the south,
particularly in States where there is
a real Republican party, the demand
for Roosevelt is still strong-so
strong that 1t may show itself in the
convention despite the plans OF the
leaders. Why? Because President
Roosevelt is far and away the most
popular public man in the south since
the war Grover Cleveland was never
well liked in the south. Mr.. Bryan,
though still popular, has never re-
gained the place in the affections Of
the south he held a few months In
1896, at the zenith of the silver craze,
and when Mr.. Bryan appeared to be
the favorite of the fates. Now
Rooseyelts popularity in that section
is. according to the testimony of
Democrats and Republicans alike,
something amazing. Democrats are
as enthusiastic over him as Repub-
licans; many of them more so. 1t is
not class feeling. The leaders Of
affairs feel the same way as the
masses Of the people.
Democratic senators and represen.
tatives from the south admit in pri-