The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-12
PRESIDENTIAL BATTLE IN 1912

New York. Oct. IA Washington
| dispatch to the Herald SAYS:
Ninety-nine out Of every 100 in the
United States today believe that the
presidential race which will culminate
q veal from, next month is going to
be the most holly contested Of any IN
which the Republican and Demoeratie
parties have engaged for twenty years.
| This is the view of the professional
politician and the plain citizen. whose
| only part in government is casting his
Vote.
The campaign has already begun.
unoficially. although neither party has
| selected its leader. The issues are be-
ing framed. deliberately n inevita-
bly,. They are comparatively easy 10
foresee. 1t is another matter to name
so far in advance the men who Will
oppose each other in the big battle.
Reports of conditions and sentiment
have reached the Herald's correspond
ent from every part of the countrH
They indicate that the choice OF the
Republican party for its presidential
nominee will be to all intents and
purposes known before the Repuhli-
can national convention meets next
summer. They indicate that it will
remain for the Democratic national
convention to decide between the
rival claims of at least four. and per-
haps a half dozen 'eligihles."
1t begins to appear as II Speaker
Champ Clark of the house of repre-
sentatives was a good prophet when
he said a few days after the sweeping
Democratic victory last November:
when mex campaign time rolls
around the Republican party will have
but one or two candidates to select
frNoo o~S Tho Democratic VCill have So
many that they will not know where
to turn"
Unless all signs fail the next presi-
dent of the United States will be n
of these men:
William Howard Taft of Ohio.
Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey.
Champ Clark of Missouri.
Robert NJ. LaFollette Of Wisconsin.
Thomas r. Marshall of Indiana.
Judson Harmon Of Ohio.
Others in the Field.
There are others. Of course. in the
field. who, with their friends, believe
that they have a chance Of winning
the prize. but at this time they appear
to have been far outdistanced by their
rivals. There is Representative o.
car w. Underwood OF Alabama. chair
man Of the ways and means commit
tee Of the house and chief Of the
Democratic tariff makers. He doubt
less will have the delegates from his
own state in the Democratic conven-
ton. He may have other delegates
from the south, but no one believes
that he will be nominated more thor
oughly than Mr.. Underwood himself.
There is former Gov. Folk Of Mis-
souri,, who has behind him the in
dorsement OF the last Missouri DEM
ocratic convention. Another conven-
ton will be held in the state before
next summer. however. and there is
likely to be a different tale to tell.
OF the Republicans who aspire to
leadership Of their party there is Sem
ator Cummins Of Iowa. who styles
nounced hat he is for LaFollette.
Cummins would undoubtedly be for
Cummins. according to every report
that has come to Washington, If he
thought there was a chance of his
getting insurgent support from other
states. He appears to have come to
the conclusion that he must support
LaFollette or split the insurgent fac
ton Of the Republican party wide
open. He has found. as have others,
that to work with LaFollette is to
follow him.
Are Considered Possibilities.
Gov. Dix Of New York and Gov.
Foss of Massachusetts, are considered
presidential possibilities but at this
time they are not regarded as serious
factors in the complicated situation.
AS for William Jennings Bryan, there
still remains a body of loyal DEM
ocrats who would do anything in their
power to obtain another nomination
for MIN: They might even have the
help Of some of their Republican
brethren, but MI. Bryan is not now
looked unon as a candidate. although
1t is everywhere agreed that his voice
will carry tremendous weight in the
Democratic convention and may be the
deciding factor in the choice Of a
nominee.
From all over the country the
news that the Democrats are growing
more hopeful of uccess At the same
time it is evident in New England.
where the president is now on a
speech making tour, that the Republi-
cans. too, are Cooking up" a bit. All
yes are upon the president, whose
journey has been v%ariously dubbed
the winning Of the west" and his
nominating campaign"
With no n to actively oppose him
for h nomination but Senator La
Toilette. there is now every indication
that President Taft will be named to
succeed himself by the Republican
convention by an overwhelming vote
Of the 1862 delegates.
LaEHollettc Boomers Busy.
The LaFollette boom is well organ
tied. 1t has its headquarters in
Washington. and is sending out "anti-
Taft" literature by the car load. La
Toilette boomers are organizing ev-
erybody they car get a hold Of in all
the states where insurgency has gain
ed a foothold. They will try to have
the delegates from Wisconsin, Iowa,
North and South Dakota, Montana,
Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas. Oregon,
California. and other states instructed
to vote for LaFollette first. last and
all the time.
That LaFollette will be able to con-
troll the delegation from his own state
Is conceded to be probable by his
strongest opponents in the Republican
party. Reports from North Dakota,
Montana and Oregon seem to show
that LaFol1ette men may be success
full there. 1t does not look so rosy
for him in Iowa. 1t will be a hard
hight apparently In South Dakota. Min
nesota. Nebraska and Kansas, with
the chances against the Wisconsin in
look.
Efforts will be made to corral La.
Toilette delegates in the east without.
however. much hope of success. A
co~ld-blooded survey Of the situation
from the standpoint Of Mr.. LaFoIlette
forces. even his friends in Washington.
where senator is now busily en-
gaged IN f~urthering his own boom by
writing q series Of articles about him.
self for a magazine. to the belief thar
should he gain the delegations from
every state here mentioned, he can
not hope to defeat Mr.. Taft for The
nomination. """
Situation May Change.
This is the situation today. II NAV
change during the winter, when much
is to be done by the nresident ~
inSurgent and the nenanra4. ~