The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-05-07

zen. The, American says:
There have now been chosen to the
Republican National Convention, which
will convene in Chicago on the 10TH of
next month, 1876 delegates. There are
yet to be chosen pa. There are 36I of
the delegates already selected that are
either instructed for Taft by state or
district conventions or that are other
wise committed to the Ohio man by for
NAL declaration. There are instructed
for SIX other candidates 233 delegates.
This leaves l42 of the delegates so far
chosen in the classification of ''unin-
structed." At the beginning of last
week The American made the prophecy
that it would be Taft week" and a
Taft week it was. Five OF the state
conventions held last week. including
that Of Maryland, gave formal instruc-
lions to the delegations chosen to vote
for Taft. In addition large number
of scattering district conventions elect
ipg delegates also gave instructions for
the Ohio man. So that the week S re-
cord stands 1876 delegates chosen, of
which 90 were instructed directly or in
directly for Secretary Taft, for Sena-
tor Knox, for Governor Hughes. 2 for
Vice President Fairbanks and 2 for
/ Senator Foraker leaving SO classified
as uninstructed.
The On-the-surface showing of the
/ foregoing summary indicates a tremen-
dous lead for Mr.. Taft. And the under
the-surface facts, when fairly apprised.
indicate very much stronger position
IN the contest for the Ohio man than
the 361 votes which are accredited to
him show for. The delegations of
various states instructed for ''favorite
/ sons constitute very delusive factor
/ in the surface indictions when estimate
is made of the aggregate vote that is
/ opposed to the leading candidate. Of
I the New York delegation "a of the IS
/ have been instructed to vote for Cover
1 nor Hughes. But it is known that
more than half of the "a delegates thus
far chosen in the Empire State are
friendly to Taft, and will surely swing
to him as soon as Governor Hughes
shall have been eliminated The Hi
nolS delegation, of which 46 out of the
total of "a are under instructions to
| vote for Cannon, stands in almost eX-
actly the same attitude toward Secre-
tary Taft and the New York delegation.
More than half probably two-thirds-
the Illinois delegation would straightly
declare for Taft if Speaker Cannon
were to withdraw from the contest.
Not a single one of the favorite son
delegations, there is fair warrant for
I saying, will hold together for anv op
position candidate to the Ohio man
/ cther than the home candidate to which
each of these delegations has been par
/ ticularlv committed.
According to the rule adhered to in
Republican national conventions. a ma
| Jorlty vote of the delegates only is
necessary to nominate the candidates
of the party for President and Vice
President. If the selection of delegates
to the Chicago convention We're to cease
with the 1876 thus far chosen, 1863 would
be the number requisite to nominate
each candidate. Taft has 36l delegates
instructed or declared for him-onlv 8
( short of what would be the requisite
majority Of the delegates chosen. But
II an actual test We're forced. at least
/ one-thlrd of the uninstructed delegates
and one-half the favorite-s0n delegates
would quickly join the Taft aggrega-
ton. And in the delegates already
chosen the combined opposition to the
ONO man has made its high-record
/ score. During the present week state
| conventions are to be held in New
Jersey, Connecticut, Alat anna, Ken
/ lucky, Wyoming and Utah; besides,
there Will be IS scattered district con-
yentions. All told, "a additional dele
gates to Chicago will be selected before
the close of the week. In Utah and
Wyoming the State Republican Com
mittees have indorsed Taft. and there
Is every reason for expecting that the
solid delegations from these states will
be for him. In New Jersey, while
there is strong opposition to Taft, led
by the TWO United States senators from
that state, there is a powerful favoring
public sentiment for the Ohio man, and
this sentiment is being represented bv
leader no less able and determined
than Governor Fort. 1t looks as though
the Taft forces will win a sweeping
victory in Kentucky, the state upon
which Mr.. Fairbanks has had his ex-
pectant hopes centered. Not one of
the opposition candidates to Taft has
hitherto realized expectations in secur-
ing instructed delegations. And the
situation is not in any wise growing
more hopeful for the allied opposition.