Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-03-20

frIend2 OF President Roosevelt and
Secretary Taft are in the majority in
the national committee. This fact
has been ascertained beyond the pos
slbility OF doubt. The Significance OF
II Is very great Tt means that no
spurious contest from the south or
elsewhere can get before the con-
vention except In a minority report
IL means that the plot TO create
contests, confusion and choas can
not succeed. II means. with little
more than the shadow OF uncertain
ty. the nomination OF Taft on the
FIRST ballot And II any period OF
waiting and OF pcrplexity comes TO
that convention the nominee will not
be a opponent OF the administration,
bat the chief OF the administration
himself.
The policy OF the administration
Taft leaders as TO contests from the
south or elsewhere Is President
Roosevelt and Judge Taft are both
In favor OF Il. and that settles Il:
To give a square deal; to have
sub-oommlttees patiently hear all
contests; 10 seat the legal. regular
delegates, no matter whether they
are for the admlnlstratlon-Taft pro-
gram or not
on account OF the efforts OF the
enemies OF the President and OF Taft
10 stir up contests and scandals in
the south, the Taft managers recent
~ determined TO ascertain exactly
whore they stood in the national Re
publican convention. They knew the
convention was 10 be with them-a
Roosevelt-Taft convention. But did
they have the national committee?
Would their opponents he able 10
bring In majority reports In favor OF
the seating OF lot OF trumped-up
delegates from the south? Inqulr-
les we're made as 10 predictions oi
all the members OF the national com.
mltee Nothing was left 20 chance
or 10 lIck. The facts were ascer-
tained In every case. There are 81
members OF the national committee.
one from each state and territory
aud the District OF Columbia, Thlr-
ty-three OF these are out-and-out
Roostyolt-raft men and Ave or six
more are much more likely 10 be
friendly than otherwise. Thus the
Rooseyeit-Taft forces have n safe
clear working majority OF the COM
mlttee. Their strength on any square
proposition cannot be less than 80
70 "a, aud Il Is much more likely
to be nearly 40 TO "a. With the
committee TO pass on contests and
the convention to uphold the major
lty reports, the Roosevelt-Taft peo-
pie are not doing much worrying
over the southern conspiracy OF their
opponents
AZ the same time, Il Is true that
practically the only danger 10 the
success OF the Taft movement-and
Il Is very small menace--lies In the
feeling among southern Republicans
for the greater part OF the Renub-
lieans OF the north have gladly ac-
eepted TAFT AS substitute for
Roosevelt, The north understands
Taft as a great big man on his own
aceount-one OF the biggest and
strongest men we have ever had In
our public life. Il Is true that In
some parts OF the west they stlll
banker for Teddy" Hut the vast
majority OF northern Republican,,
even Including goodly part OF those
hVing In states having "favOFite
sons. are heartily and warmly for
fait, because they believe he will
make a great President n elected
But all through the south partieu-
'arly In states where there Is real
Republican party, the demand for
Roosevelt Is stul strong so slrong
that it may show itself In the con
Nentlon despite the pan OF the lead
frs. WaYf Because President
Roosevelt Is iar ard away the most
porisr public man in the south |
since the war Grover Cleveland
Was never We'll liked In the south
Mr. Bryan. though s,ll popular. has
never resained the place ln the al
feeSions % the south he he'd a few
months IN iSsd. a. the senith OF the
silver craze, and when Mr. Rryan ap-
peared Ia be the tavorite OF the
taies. Now Rooseyelt's popularity
10 that section isaocording to the