Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-01
Struggle Between AVOWed presI.
dental Candidates Is On.
TAFT CLAIMS TO HOLD RULING HAND
VIII Declare That the Protective prin.
ciplc, and Not the Actual Tariff
Schedules. is to be Kept Secret =
snub fo- Foraker.

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Feb. ga
great fight Is being made by the va
rious avowed candidates for the pres
idcncy for control OF the Republican
national committee. Up 10 Il month
ago. 1t was quite certain that n ma
jority OF tho committee was opposed
to the nomination Of Secretary Taft.
Now Mr.. laf's friends are claiming
The control with all the confidence
that IL characteristic of them. Frank
II. Hitchcock. Taft's campaign man
agcr. is quite positive that more than
half OF the members of the committee
are supporters OF the secretary.
You may state uncquyocally ana
cmphatically." said he, that MIR.
Taira friends control the national
committee"
Since Mr.. Hitchcock retired from
the Office of first assistant postmaster
general, he has been dtvoting his time
to conference with state leaders of
tho Republican party from ali parts of
the country. These conferences have
had to do particularly with the atii-
tude towards Secretary TAFT of men,
bers of the national committee. In
addition. Mr., Hitchcock has communl-
Gated directly with the committeeman
themselves. with all OF whom, through
his previous connection with national
campaign, he Is well acquainted.
Quite naturally, tho contest has no,
been onesided. While Mr.. Hitchcock
and other friends of Secretary Taf;
have been working vigorously, tho
other candidates and their frinds have
not been idle. All realize not mere.
~ that tactical. but the practical ad
vantage that will accrue TO tho candl-
date or candidates in control of the
committee. II is not unlikely, indeed
that 1t may carry with II the power
10 make the nomination
In the course OF the contest. an
important fact has been developcd
pretty conclusivcly, that is. that the
fight just now is Taft against the
field. II Is assured, substantially.
that the other candidates have formed
working agreement, by the terms of
which. for certain purposes. they Will
stand as a unit. or course. the prIn-
cipal purpose is the control of the
national committee.
Until within two or three weeks
II was moi believed to he pre re-
qnisite 10 the nomination that Secre-
tary Taft should be able TO dominate
the committee; but DEVELOPMENTS
particularly in the South, now indi-
cate that he will have 10 control ii If
he expects to secure the nomination
In nearly every Southern state CON
testing delegations will be chosen
ana they VIII make the welkln ring Mt
chicago with their protestations. Sec
re'ary rats managers had expected
To win the Southern delegates without
special difficulty. but 1t Is evident now
that they will have to fiei for near
IS every one they get. r MS. the at
titude of The national committee be
comes supremacy important, for that
body VIII make up the temporary roll
OF delegates and those temporary DEL
egates will choose the committees Of
inc convention. The action of the
committees will determine the con
troll of the convention.
AT this time, the opposition TO Sec
rotary Taft has in sight sometime in
excess of 500 delegates. not couniine
nose II claims in New England. In
tne Northwest and on the Pacific
coast. AS there are $50 delegates to
be In the convention. 491 will be ne
cessary 10 secure control The fieh,
between Taft and the So called cal
Hes VIII be. therefore, for about 200
delegates. The Importance of the
southern vote in the convention,
therefore. may be understood readily.
IL seems probable now that a mastery
OF the situation will depend upon the
South.