The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-06-13
By gibson GARDNER.
ecial Correspondence to The Press

| special correspondence 60 Vne treSS
CHICAGO, June 13.-The nomin-
alton of VIM. Howard Taft is an
event which can be predicted to oc-
cur at the republican national con-
vention with as much certainty as
can be used in dealing with events
political.
Concerning other events to occur
at Chicago between June 16, the
date for which the convention is
called, and June 20, when it will
probably adjourn, there is still
much uncertainty.
The vice presidential nomination
will probably remain in uncertainty
until after the presidential nomina-
ton is settled. Then there is likely
to be a struggle by the friends of
Mr.. Fairbanks to land this place;
while Taft's friends (supposing he
is the presidential nominee) will
try to nominate Philander G. Knox
or Geo. B. Cortelyou.
The number of votes required to
secure the presidential nomination
is 491. Taft's managers claim for
him SIT instructed, and 81 bound to
him by other ties, making total of
5S4. The "other ties" are indorse-
ments and personal declarations.
One element of uncertainty as to
the nomination of Taft arises from
the possibility of Roosevelt STAN
pede.
For many months work has
been going on to undermine the
convention with Roosevelt second
elective term" sentiment. Most
prominent and Industrious in this
work has been Jonathan Bourne.
| jr., senator from Oregon. Of late,
however, the movement has been
greatly helped by the money and
personal efforts of republican mem
bers of congress and candidates for
office who want Roosevelt as head
of the ticket in order to insure their
own return to office.
1t is the plan of the Roosevelt
| boomers to take advantage of some
opportunity to spring on the con-
vention ringing speech praising
Roosevelt and his policies, and in
sisting that the convention carry
out the real wishes of the people
and name Roosevelt for another
term.
| 1t is safe to predict that such a
speech will be made, and that some
enthusiastic delegate will seize his
guidon and start march around
the convention hall, in hopes that
this will start a stampede like the
| famous one to Bryan in 1896.
Whether or not the delegates will
stampede, remains to be seen.
In case there is Roosevelt STAN
lpede, and even assuming that the
convention dominates Roosevelt,
the chapter will not be closed
Roosevelt will, without doubt, be
heard from by wire, something
after the fashion in which Parker
was heard from after his nomina-
ton at ST. Louis. And the Roose-
welt boomers will probably find that
it is one thing to lead horse to
water and quite another to make
him drink. They will then discover
that Roosevelt will refuse to run.
What is more likely to happen Is
that the effort to stampede the
Taft delegates will fail With more
than 500 of them under explicit In
structions to vote for Taft, and with
open letters from Roosevelt In their
hands saying that he does not care
to run, and will not run, they are
likely to let the shouting and
marching go by them.
Moreover, a Taft stampede is a
possibility at any moment. When
a decision of the contests removes
the last doubt as to Taft's majority,
the instinct Of self-preservation is
apt to start the minority on a move
toward the band wagon before 1t
is too late. This would mean that
Cannon, Fairbanks, Knox and the
rest would withdraw their candi-
dacies and make the Taft nomina-
ton a love feast.
| In the ante-convention fight, a
| combination has existed between
the other candidates. Cannon, Fair
banks, Knox, L&Follette and
Hughes have worked together to
keep Taft from getting a majority
of the delegates. The least hostile
of these allies is Knox, anC the
anti-Taft combination is likely to be
broken by the sudden withdrawal
of Knox. Roosevelt's former attor-
ney general has kept on intimate
and friendly terms with the White
House, and it is positively known
Int ut IF urit Il tut a