The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-28
AFRAID OF T. R.
Feeling of Apprehension Per
vades the Taft Camp.
A New Element Of Uncertainty
iu Presidential Campaign.
THE PREFERENCE LAW
Five States Will Make Their
Choice at Primaries.
The Colonel Would Prefer to
Wait Until 1916.

Washington, D. c.. JIly 2S.-The
shadow of Theodore Roosevelt is still
hanging over the calculations of Re
publican politicians who are trying to
figure out how the 1912 campaign is
going to be shaped
In the Taft camp there is a feeling
of apprehension over the plans of
Roosevelt and over the plans of the
Roosevelt following. In the anti-Taft
camp, among those who believe Mr..
Taft's chances for winning the election
are slim, there is a strCEE sentiment
in favor of putting Roosevelt at the
head of the ticket.
The thing that may make the Roose-
welt supporters a power that would
have to be reckoned with seriously in
the next Republican national conven-
ton is the presidential preference law.
This will be tried in the five states,
Oregon, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wis
consin and New Jersey.
Any notion that the Roosevelt SEN
timent has died out among the voters
is erroneous. Politicians have realized
this. and when the presidential pri-
maries are held the man who is likely
to loom strongest of all is not Taft
or LaFollette, but Roosevelt
If this proves to be the case, the
convention may find it difficult to re-
strain a powerful effort to put the col
oneI at the head of the ticket.
Nebraska is one of the states where
the outcome of the presidential pri-
maries will be watched with the keen
est interest by politicians all over the
country. President Taft's friends have
assured him he will get the state On
the other hand, the candidacy of SEN
ator LaFollette will be strongly urged
there. At the same time, it is we'll
known here that Roosevelt sentiment
| is powerful in Nebraska and this SEN
timent is expected to show itself with
out anv particular effort st organizing
| it.
That the next convention is not go
ing to get by without powerful effort
to stampede it to Roosevelt appears
more and more probable
Colonel Roosevelt, it " as said some
time ago. would support President
| Taft for denomination and reelection
4 This was promptly denied by Colonel
( Roosevelt. Since then lie has at
ltacked the policy of the administration
with respect to Controller bay. I'm
der the circumstances, The anti-Taft
element in Washington is convinced
that Roosevelt is not friendly to the
denomination of President Taft and
that he is not going to do anything to
help it.
The friends of Senator LaFollette
would like of course, to have the col
to be doubted if he openly espouses
any ones candidacy.
SO far as his attitude is concerned,
his close friends here think they know
he does not want it. but would not re-
fuse it if it were put up to him. His
preference is to wait for 1916 and
then if the outlook is promising it will
not be surprising to see him openly in
the field again.
Senator Curtis of Kansas is showing
himself to be a valuable member OF
the senate committee on the District
of Columbia. At the present he is act
ing chairman of the committee and is
urgently pushing several pieces of leg
islation for the district which he ex-
poets to have enacted before the close
of the present session. Che particular
bill which he is anxious to pass is a
measure to regulate the loan sharks in