The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-19

legation is true doubtless will be more
or less clearly demonstrated when the
President finishes his long trip. So it
Is plain that If President Taft's trip
should emphasize his weakness, while
that of La Toilette shows the sena-
tors strength, or that the anti-Taft
movement in the Republican party is
growing, it would throw serious obsta-
Giles in the way of the Presidents re-
nomination.
Primary Is to Count.
The presidential primary is likely
to cut a much larger figure than many
of the opticians have realized.
For some time the Republican insur-
gent leaders have been diligently en-
gagged in promoting the presidential
primary. They have done this for the
avowed purpose of Gripping the move
ment to renominate President Taft.
They make no concealment Of their
purpose, and they have pressed hard
In numerous states for the enactment
of a Presidential reference law where
by the voter expresses his preference
for a presidential nominee just as he
he would for a nominee for any other
office through the primary system.
But it is not alone Republican in
surgents who are expecting to help
their cause through the Presidential
primary. The progressive or radical
Democrats are hopeful of advancing
their cause through the same means,
and efforts are being made to get pres
idential preference laws passed in a
large number of states.
This Democratic movement is dis
tinctly anti-Harmon and appears to be
in the interest of Governor Woodrow
Wilson, of New Jersey. 1t may work
out, too, to help Champ Clark.
The states having presidential pref
erence laws are Wisconsin, Nebraska,
New Jersey, Oregon and North Dako-
ia. Through special sessions of the
legislatures, California and Kansas
may be added to this list before next
spring. In each of these states the
progressives are laying wires. They
are going to use their utmost endeav-
ors to boom Senator La Toilette, and
it is expected that in the course of
the proposed trip, he will make it a
point to cover these doubtful states
thoroughly. -.~ g. -,,~
The anti-Harmon Democrats are al
so making an effort in large num-
Der of the Southern States having no
preference law, to have the Democrat
II <oto fOr /
dental primaries.
In Southern States.
Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Ken
lucky, Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi
and in fact most of the Southern
states the movement is on, and on
seriously, for the purpose of having
presidential primaries. Little is heard
of the movement in the Northern
states that do not have the preferen-
tial law, though there has been con-
sideration of in Indiana.
Through the promotion Of the pri-
maries. it is thought that the progress
sives favoring the boom of Senator
La Toilette will find an easy way to
force action On the Senator's name in
the Republican convention and the
only stumbling block to the accep-
lance of the nomination would be the
support of the delegates. This is to be
obtained, it is pointed out, by La
Follette's big Swing around the cir
cult in the wake of President Taft.
This fall is looked upon for big
things in the way of political stump
speaking. Headliners will be on
speaking tours. Champ Clark, Gov
ernor Harmon, Governor Wilson, Pres
ident Taft. Senator La Toilette, Sena-
tor Bourne, Senator Cummins and les
ser lights are to take the field.