The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-06-10
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.

Contrary 10 expectations, the Chi |
capo convention gives promise Of be-
Ing one o. the most spirited pohti- |
cal contests that has taken place |
iu this country since the Minneapolis |
convention In 1892.
The supporters of Secretary 1aft
arc frightened SO doubt is left as 10
that Do the last two months the
statements made public at the Taft
h,al Quarters iu Washington and IN
Columbus, Ohio. have indicated tnat
the tntcst Was all over but the
shouting. but that Is by no means
true On the determination by The
republican national committee Of the
contests pending will depend the ro
suit OF the conventions work.
\ careful and conservative count Of
noses has been made and 1t show
that the secretary of war still Is
short of an absolutely certain nomi-
nation The apprehension OF the TAFT
supporters is that delegates supposed
TO bee pledged for the secretary may
be- induced 10 change their votes.
This apprehension Is based ON Ger
taiuty that the people of the country
prefer Roosevelt to anybody else. The
situation practically is unique u
American politics One careful obsun-
cr estimates that tournuhs OF Sec
rctary 1atts supporters really are
Roosevelt men. lf they only can bee
nailed down TAFT Will bee nominated,
but unless they can Dee, be Is not "a
/ possibility.
Several weeks ago 20 was annouuc-
/ ed that Secretary TAFT would not open
. headquarters IN Chicago until Just be.
/ fore the convention, because II Was
not deemed desirable that there
should be even seeming effort TO
| influence the national committee IN
/ its decision OF the ,Ontcsts pending
| before II. As matter OF fact. the
/ Taft headquarters I'm Chicago have
| been open Tor week. They were
open days before the national com.
| mittcc began Its consideration Of con.
| tests Leaders of IA, TAFT movement.
accompanied uy lawyers hired to rep
/ resent the secretary before the com
I miltcc. We're IN Chicago several days
/ before the committee took up the
/ consideration OF the contests.
/ SO complaint can be made OF this
"a tiuu. II was good politics and "a
/ legitimate precautionary measure.
/ but 10 certainly was not indicative
uI rhat confidence which hitherto has
been manifested Dos the TAFT leaders
/ 10 MEANS simply that the Tatt man.
/ ayers propose 10 do everything they
/ can to prevent the delegates on
whom they have counted from desert
. us under the pressure which is like
. Is to hr put upon them.
10 viii bee necessary, too for the
. ldIl managers lo Mu suudly mum
bor Of the contests before the com
. mitce in order TO be- able fairly to
I count majority OF the delegates to
! the convention for secretary Of war
The indications now are that the
nominations Will not bee determined in
advance OF the conventions ballouug.
| II the first ballot should show n ats
carly stage, some surprising change
10 tno Talt column, the probability -
/ hat there will be enough "land-
warouclimbcrs In the convention to
give TAFT considerable majority ana
then 10 nominate him on the first
ballot but his friends do not like
90 accept such dhance as that
Among those who have studied the
situation thoroughly, the belief is gen.
eidl that there is a strong likelihood
Of Tafts nomination, but the nomi.
nation will have to be the first bah2,;
and that II II is not Taft on 80 FIRST
bsIlo; It will be Roosevelt