New-York tribune., 1908-01-05
OHIO'S TEST VOTE.

It js hard to understand the reasons given
by Senators Foraker and Dick for holding the
method prescribed for choosing delegates 10 lhe
state convention in February to be Unfair, op
pressve or onerous. We cannot see anythihs
unreasona BILE in committing the cholce OF ueie-
,,tas DIRECTLY tn the voters instead of following
the old me nod of having the voters eject county
delegates and these county delegates chooSe lhe
state delegates. Senator Foraker complalned
last fall when the Republican State committee
met and nut Secretary Taft forward as the
choice of the party in Ohio for the Republlcan
Presidential nomination that the committee had
no right TO sneak in advance for voters who
had had no opportunity TO express their prefer
ences He demanded q suspension of Judgment
until a direct test of sentiment could be had,
and asked that the members OF the state con-
vention to select four delegates -at-large TO the
Republican National Convention be designated
by popular vote.
The state committee has adopted the sugges-
ton. which was entirely welcome to the sup
porters of Secretary Taft that the rank ana
file of the party determine who shall be pre-
sented in the Republican National Convention
as the states favorite son.
II has been decided TO apply the provisions Of
the new primary election law. not yet legally In
effect. and to submit the choice of state conven-
county is TO elect its quota on a general ticket,
but in the five counties which contain large
cties-Hamilton. Cuyahoga, Franklin, Lucas
and Montgomery--it is left optional with the
county committees to hold the election by
wards or by other subdivisions In some re-
spects the call may have departed from the
terms of the not yet binding primary law Mr.
Foraker seems to be dissatisfied with the ar
rangements for nominating candidates pledged
to any particular Presidential aspirant though
he admits that he may have misunderstood
these arrangements. But he cannot deny that
the field is as open to him in that respect as 1t
is TO Secretary Taft, or seriously maintain that
trivial technicalities can prevent the triumph
AT the primaries of the majority element in the
party If he and Senator Dick have the ma
jority behind them they can easily dominate
the state convention. for the call clearly pro-
vides method by which the majority can ex-
press its will.
That is the main point and the only point of
real importance in the controversy So long as
the issue between the two Senators and the
Secretary can be submitted directly and fairly
TO the party neither side can justly complain
We have more than once argued thai Such
a pol would be the most convenient and
the surest way of definitely establishing what
the wishes of the Republicans of Ohio are
the illogical action of the state convention of
1906, which indorsed the administrations ef-
forts to secure the passage of the Hepburn
Doliiver railroad rate bill and yet commended
Senator Foraker for stoutly opposing that meas
ure and voting against it, in spite of a request
from the Ohio Legislature TO join with all the
other members of the Ohio delegation In Con-
gress in supporting it. Senator Foraker has
hitherto seemed entirely in earnest in contend
ing that he has the support Of the party in
Ohio and in asking for vote of confidence
or lack of confidence If he Is right in his
diagnosis he cannot lose under the call just
issued He and Senator Dick have definitely
framed their issue, and the state committee has
given them a chance to go to the voters on IT,
They should not waste time, critlcising the de-
tails of the CALL but should set to work TO rally
the sentiment which they represent and which
they profess to think really controls the party
in Ohio