Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-05-15
NO ROOSEVELT STAMPEDE
Taft's Adherents Said to Have
Won Over Part of the Alliance,

The allied opposition to Secretary Taft
is on the verge of collapse. For some
time Senators Aldrich and Hale have
been in the Taft camp and recently they
have been working hard to get Senator
w. Murray Crane, the first marshal of
the allies, to join them. 1t is reported
tonight that Senator Crane has met these
overtures in manner which leads to the
belief that he will eventually come over.
The combination in that event will mean
the solid vote of New England for Taft
on the first ballot and end the possibility
for further question as to the Secretary's
nomination.
The Senators have been shaken up by
the recent talk of a stampede for Roose-
welt. There is probably only one Repub-
lican in the country for whom they
would not rather vote than Taft; that
one is Roosevelt, and the lingering posi-
bility that the convention might be STAN
peded for the President has convinced
the Senators that their best move is to
insure the nomination of Taft on the first
ballot.
This possibility has been emphasized for
them in the last few days by the resolu-
tions adopted at the Utah convention for
the election of delegates to Chicago last
week and by the result of the primaries
in California. The Taft strength in New
England has been growing steadily, and
has been well recognized by the Senators
from those States who have continued
their opposition. When Senator Crane
decides to vote for Taft that means that
all opposition in New England will cease
and Taft will have the solid eighty-two
votes from those States.
Tn, ~
tors whom the President has classified az
reactionaries, there is not one who per-
sonally or politically prefers Taft to Knox
or Cannon or Fairbanks. But every one
of them prefers Taft to Roosevelt For
weeks past there have been rumors that
Aldrich eventually would swing to Taft.
The Rhode Island delegation is unin.
structed and will be absolutely subservi-
ent to the wishes of Aldrich. The con.
version of Hale was a tedious process,
but it became apparent that Maine would
send Taft delegation to Chicago. His
colleague. Senator Frye, was openly for
Taft.
But it was not until the papers began
to tell of the preference expressed for
Roosevelt in Texas, Utah and California
that Aldrich and Hale took off their
coats. For three days nobody in Wash.
ington, not even excepting Hitchcock
who works fourteen hours a day and
can always be found on duty at mid
night, has been so active in behalf of
Taft as Aldrich and Hale. A stampede
to Roosevelt apparently was threatened,
and they began to organize to prevent it.
The President knew of their efforts and
he secretly applauded. Their activity in
Tafts behalf is what he had hoped for
and indeed. planned for The President
is intensely practical, as he himself
admits. He did not care what influences
caused the reactionaries to get behind
Taft, just 30 they help to give him the
nomination. He doesn't care how a
stampede Is prevented, just 80 it is
prevented.
Under the circumstances, a stampede
which will nominate Roosevelt is out of
the question. 1t is apparent that for
every vote which leaves Taft for Roose-
welt, two will leave the allies for Taft.
Washington Correspondent N. Y. Times.