Albuquerque citizen., 1908-01-31
MAKE SPIRITED
FIGHT FOR
TAFT
Aggressive Campaign for Del
egateS Will be Made Except
In Favorite Son States.

Washington, Jan. 31.-An aggres-
sive fight for delegates in every stale
in New England, and in every state
not presenting a favorite son candi-
date, where lighting is necessary, is
20 be made by the supporters Of Sec
retary Taft. The people are to be
asked to choose their own represen-
tatives and TO make no mistake as
to whom those representatives will
support in the convention.
This policy is to be pursued espe-
cially in New England, where the
underhanded efforts Of reactionaries
40 obtain uninstructed delegations
with view to holding those delega-
tions against Taft so long as there is
a possibility Of defeating him has
made such a course imperative. 1t
is announced by the Taft leaders in
that section that "gentlemen's agree
ments" among politicians are not to
be regarded in the present fight.
The practice of permitting a senator
or a member Of the house to name
certain delegates merely at a matter
of courtesy is to be stopped. Where
the issue is progress against reaction
it Is felt that pleasant amenities in
pOllltS, WHICH nave tildbltu Hlti z
politicians to ignore and defy the
wishes of the people themselves, can
no longer be observed.
II Is Not Taft's Plan.
Tn, plan of campaign to be fol-
lowed is not of Secretary Taft's maxi
ing. II has been formed and will be
carried out by the supporters of the
secretary and of the administration
policies in the different New Eng
land states. Aside from the neces-
sity of forcing the fighting in order
TO prevent the election by default of
anti-Taft delegates. the clean, open
political methods which have been
pursued by Secreary Taft. contrast
ed with the methods of his oppon-
ents, afford additional reasons why
there should be a spirited conflict.
While Secretary Taft has made 1t
known to his supporters that they
must not invade the home states Of
any OF the opposing candidates
there has been nothing except mis-
representation of Taft himself and
of his purposes by all who are
against him. together with a fight
upon him in his own state, which
long ago ceased to be a mere local
contest and has become a part OF
the national effort to overthrow the
principles for which Taft stands.
In radical sections of the west Sec
retary Taft has been misrepresentec
as too conservative properly to sue
ceed President Roosevelt. In conser'
vative sections of the east he is rep
resented as too radical to be safe
In this effort to perplex, confuse and
deceive the public, the supporters OF
every other candidate have beer
equally guilty. Supporters Of Sena-
tor Knox in the northwest have been
booming him as the real trust antag-
-onist, and presenting Taft as the
man who would sustain the sys-
tenn LaFollettels partisans in the
same section of the country have
given out statements charging tnat
Taft is the choice OF the trusts and
the railroads. In New England he
is paraded as unsafe and Hughes ol
Knox suggested as better qualified
for the presidency.
How the Senate Is Fighting Taft.
The coterie Of reactionary sena
tors who control the senate have
tried by rejecting nominations sen
in by the president TO create the i'm
preston that Taft is using corrup
methods of promoting his candidacy
All the time Secretary Taft, so far a!
he is able to control, is permitting
no misrepresentation of any one b.
his own followers and is holding hi
campaign to the strictest limits o
propriety. fairness and honesty. II
asks nothing more than that tn
issue shall be clearly presented e
the people and that the peopl
themselves be permitted to judg
between himself and mis- detractor'
This is the character Of the tigh
that Is to be made everywhere an
Il Is fight that is succeeding every