New-York tribune., 1908-04-03
THE RESULT IN MASSACHUSETTS,.

The result of the Republican primary cleo
tions in AIaSsachusett has been much be-
clouded because Of Il complication Of inter
pSts and issues. There are different ways or
looking at the contest and different ways OF
interpreting it. Tc the unsophisticated OBJ
server at a distance il may have seemed to
be trial Of strength between the friends of
Mr.. Taft and his opponents But IN Massachu-
settS politics is not game as simple as that
There was also a uanscendental issue to DE
Observation-Disclosures under our political forms
a constituency ought to instruct It's agent or
the agent ought to he allowed 10 act for the
constituency without instruction. From This
noint of view the fight was vindicatinS
or renudiatng the tradition" that a Massa-
chUScttS delegate should not be "humilated
by being told in advance just what the voters
who elect him expect him TO do for them. 1t
appears that the issues got crossed and that
the alignment for Taft and against Taft was
not at all identical with the alignment for dele
gate self-sufficiency or against it.
Senator Crane and his friends are claiming
victory on the transcendental issue whHe the
supporters of Mr.. Taft maintain that they have
carried enough Congress districts TO give the
Secretary of War majority Of the Massachu-
sets delegation It appears that many dele
Gates whose election is indicated are publicly
committed TO Taft but do not want TO be in
structed for him. An impartial authority. Inc
Boston Transcript" says that seventeen dele-
gates will be ont and out for Taft nine VIII De
unpledged and the attitude Of six more VIII not
/ be determined until the state convention ana
| certain Of the district conventions meet II IS
undisputed however, that the pro-Iaft forces
will control the state convention. OF the lead
ing candidates for deIegates-at-large only one
| Senator Lodges credited TO Taft in The
| Transcrfpt's' estimate There seems TO he no
reason however. why the convention should
not elect AT least two declared Taft men, even
if il refrans from instructing its spokesmen
and allows Senator Crane and Ex-Governor
Bates to go 10 Chicago unpledCed. Mr.. Taft
seems likely TO have. therefore. a minimum
support of eighteen out of thirty delegates
with rIgO uncommitted delegates -atlarge owing
their election directly 10 the liberalIty or bis
supporters Probably on the first ballot at
/ Chicago the Secretary of War will have from
twenty 10 twenty-four of the states thlrty-two
delegates.
We cannot see in this result q victory for
/ Senator Crane or his contentious. The Re
publican voters of Massachusetts have shown
that they know what they want, and are as
ready TO pass judgment on the questions which
will arise at Chicago as are the voters In other
states They do not approve the policy OF
waiting till June IS for something TO turn
up Furthermore, in spite or certain snow
Of respect for tradition" they have clearly
indicated their choice for the Presidency There
is little ground for doubling that The Tran
script" fairly summarizes the situation when
il says:
If there had been straight-out issue pre-
scented 10 the Republicans Of Massachusetts last
light of Taft or anti-Taft, the Taft men would
have swept the state from Berkshire TO the
Cape No one knows that fact better than the
managers of the o-called 'uninstructed' or un-
pledged" campaign. and that is the reason they
didn't raise the issue.