The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-05-05
M0STREMARKABLE
ANTI CONVENTION
CAMP A|GN
All Predictions Have an "lf'
Attached
TAFT MEN CONFIDENT
TAFT MEN CONFIDENT
Opposition 10 Now Making No More
Noise Than an oyster--Not thing
Accomplished.

Editor Banner: The political pre-
dictions are yet cloudy and unset
tied" Very much SO. Everything
has an if attached to it. That les
sens the value of prophesy. On all
sides and from every point of view,
1t is the most remarkable ante-con-
vention campaign that the American
electorate ever mixed up with. The
trouble Is that there is trouble every
where and no movement" has plain
sailing. The managers OF boom may
go to bed with everything nicely fixed
up TO stay, and awake the next morn
ing to find that somebody has mon
keyed with the faucet in the night and
allowed the molasses to run all over
the floor. Thus we continue to guess
and wonder what will happen next
The president says that Taft Is as
certain to be nominated as he is to
live to convention time. with dozens
of votes to spare. This is also the
opinion Of those who have been friend
ly or Indifferent to Taft's cand idacy.
With them, 1t is all over but the rati-
fication meetings. The daily papers
continue to report Taft delegates elect
ed In all directions, and even those
| who have not hitherto favored or con
| coded his nomination are inclined TO
believe that he may have sufficient
vote to settle the matter ON the first
| ballot
On the other hand. those who nave
opposed Taft strenuously from the be-
ginning and have kept vigorously at
work without doing any talking are
yet fully convinced that II is going
to be quite possible to prevent Taft's
nomination. From the fact. that they
are doing lots of work and are making
a noise like an oyster there may yet
be surprise for the administration
slate. II is true that they don't seem
to be accomplishing anything, and yet.
it must not be forgotten that a vast
number OF astonishing things are
scheduled to happen between now and
November. Four hundred and ninety
one votes. the number necessary to a
choice, is a mighty lot of votes to get
and keep away from the moth and
rust of the opposition. Taft may be
able to do 1t. and again.
In the meantime, here is another
complication. Day by day 1t Is being
rendered quite possible that Bryan
may not have two-thirds majority
OF the delegates to the Denver con-
vention. In fact, II the conventions
continue to show up In the next three
weeks as they have In the past three
Bryan is defeated. State after state
beginning with New York, has elected
anti-Bryan delegations. with demo
Gratis of national reputation at their
head, and today they are making what
now looks to be a winning fight
against him. II he is defeated, II will
likely be Gov Johnson of Minnesota
with Gray of Delaware as good pos
sibility. II is conceded by republi
cans that either of these men. as a
candidate especially the former, could
likely carry dozen states which Bry
an could not touch. In fact, republi
cans realize that Johnson would give
them a mighty stiff fight. 1t is be
lieved that Taft or any republican
mentioned could defeat Bryanr bu
with Johnson, as Nose Schombert
used to say. that's difference" i
must be conceded and borne In mint
that many things which operate
against republican success besides
the personality of candidates must b.
met and overcome during the cam
paign before up. To a certain exten
the party must be on the defensive
There are many sore heads to be salv
ed. the natural causes to be overcome
Our party cannot nominate anybod,
and elect him with hop, skip ant
Jump against such q man as johnson
this year. No case of taking cand,
from blind baby in N0vember--un
less Bryan Is once more sent to tn
slaughter
To paraphrase Cleveland's ponder
f, Gus preachment, the theory which col
; fronts us In our hours of ease I
7 Bryan. The condition which cor
=. fronts us is Johnson or some Othe
} democrat who would make rea
fight. Any republican named Nigh
{ defeat any democrat who could b
, named. 1t Is an experiment tina
might work. Today 1t is said an
. argued and conceded on all sides an
by everybody that one republican
t and he Is not candidate-could d.
feat any democrat living or gone on
: and sweep the country like vibran
4 cyclone from end to end and from tn
mountains to the sea In every diret
A ton. His candidacy would. they ais
s say, elect republican state ticket
y and assure large majority In tn
Q next National House. Thus the d,
!. mand for and insistence on Rooseve
s continues and swells and increase
day after day. II he has succeeded Q
l. does succeed In forcing the nomini
ton of Taft, he will have done ma
Taft largely because Of Roosevelt
endorsement of him. How far woul
Taft's conceded eligibility and qualii
n cations have carried him II Rooseve
had never mentioned him in the wa
Of candidate, and had instead sc
. ected Root, for instance? Is there
% man with the hardiho0d today to a
. sert that Taft would have a delegat
!, now? Taft's position and strength
u simply Roosevelt's opinion of hin
% This is no sense in disparagement
- Taft, understand; 1t Is only used
~ illustrate the influence--an amazli
- one-of Roosevelts mighty hold
~ the people.
~ Therefore, to synthesize all the for
- going. In view OF the possible nomin
70 ton of Johnson, II may become q
So.