Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-03
TAFT ADMITTEDLY FAR IN LEAD
WelIman Reviews the Situation
Struggle is Not Won for Any One
and Interesting Contest Will Ensue
From Now On - DeIesa tes Accrsd-
tied to Various States.

! ton. All they can see IL one nationa
candidate, Taft, rapidly making head
way as the representative Of the adj
ministration, and bunch Of favorite
sons, each with his state behind him
but without much following from 9TH
or parts Of the country. Already the
politicians are figuring on the com
position Of the convention and the
alignment Of forces.
The republican national convention
which assemblies at noon Tuesday
June 16, will consist OF $50 delegates
The, last convention was composed OF
994 delegates, but the national commit
tee reduced the representation of the
territories and the District OF Colum-
bia. from SIX delegates to two dele
gates. Oklahoma comes in with four
teen delegates, and these respective
changes fix the total representation al
$50.
/ q he territories will ask tf'r repre-
sentation by six delegates each, but
It will rest with the convention Wheth-
err they are to be conceded or not. IN
der the terms of the call issued by the
national committee it will betin order
to hold conventions after Jan. for
the selection Of delegates to the ma
tional convention upon the giving OF
thirty days notice. 1t Is expected that
number of states will hold their con-
ventions during February and by that
time there will be practical show
down of the strength Of the opposing
candidates for the nomination.
From now on various candidates. are
expected to develop their strength. 1t
is conceded by everyone that Judge
Taft has great lead and there is
much curiosity to see whether or not
he can continue at the pace he Is now
going. If he does. he will have the
nomination pretty well In hand before
the convention meets. But as the lead
err in the race he must encounter the
combined opposition OF all the other
aspirants, and he may not grow as
fast in the coming months as his
friends hope for. -e
Just now the politicians are figuring
on the strength Of the favorite sons
Senator Knox has the great Pennsyl-
vnnia delegation of sixty-eight votes
without question, and with unanimity
and enthusiasm. Vice President Fair
banks will have the thirty delegates
from Indiana and scattering from the
south and elsewhere. Speaker Cannon
is to get the fifty four votes from H.
,inois. Senator La Toilette will doubt
IN 1,c1 no ,c{~ 1o1n Zoe frp
Wisconsin. If we add the solid vote OF
New York. seventy-eig to the fav-
orite son column and give them to
Hughes COZ which there must be donb.
for some time to come--here Is a total
Of 256 votes tided up to the candidares
Of the various states. The total is only
9 trifle over one-quarter Of the entire
convention.
Barring the doubt as to New York
this many votes. it is conceded, the
favorite sons can hold away from
the leader. Admitting that some OF
the favorite sons pick up scattering
votes here and there. their aggregate
may run as high as 800, always bear
ing in mind that New York is not vet
for Governor Hughes. That would
leave $50 votes unplaced. and 1t re-
quires 491 to nominate. Out of these
$50 or 700 the winner must get nearly
500, which anyone can see may be
difficult as long as the favorite sons
all stand pat.
Judge Taft will have the greater
part Of the Ohio delegation, and he Is
pretty sure to have the delegations
in whole or in part, from Michigan
Minnesota, Iowa, the Dakotas, Me-
braska, Kansas and most Of the noun
tain and Pacific coast states and the
territories. OF the. 800 delegates from
the south he is likely to have from
rne-half to two-thirds, and may get
even a greater proportion of them
New England is as yet uncertain. Taft
is undoubtedly gaining friends there
but the people Of New England are
mt as much in favor Of the Roosevelt
policies as are the people Of the CEN
trail and far west, and he may not be
able to win large share of the votes
from that section. If he could and II
the power Of President Roosevelt In
New York were to give him the En-
pire state delegation. either as first
,r second choice, his success would be
assured.
IN response to many requests, ap-
pend the a.,nortionment Of delegates
to the Chicago convention:
Alabama .........: ............ "
Arkansas ......... ............ ls
California ............ ........ 20
Colorado ............ .......... 10
Connecticut ......... .......... IA
Delaware $1,000. ............... G
Florida ......... .............. 10
Georgia ............ ........... &c
Idaho .......... ...............
Illinois ............ ........... 54