The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-08
HOW LAF0LLETTE
 GAINS IN SOUTH Office Holders Want to Re-
 tain Their Jobs BREAK FROM TAFT Baltimore Leads for the Democratic Convention-Steamboats Will Be Used to Entertain the Visitors

Chicago, November 7.-(Special )-Sum-
 ner Curtis, in special from Washing
 ton to the Record-Herald, says;
 There certainly is nothing disingenuous
 about the claims to strength in the south
 which the LaFolette campaign managers
 here are making. s They may be mistaken in their deduc- tions of results that will lead to La Toilette delegations from a section-oI the
 country previously conceded to the ad-
 ministration, but they are not seeking tc glorify the motives that might actuate
 republican leaders in Dixie in giving al leg:ance to the Wisconsin senator. They are dealing with the we'll under stood character of the republican poiiti- clan of the south with respect to review
 ing the offices at federal disposal first
 and the principles as secondary consid-
 eration.
 Wherefore the latest bulletin of Prog
 ress,'' issued by the publicity bureau ot
 the LaFollette campaign headquarters,
 recites, in effect, that southern repub- licans are fearful the renomination of Taft will be a serious menace to- their continued receipt of bi-monthly checks from the United States treasury, It is asserted federal office holders in some of the southern states have
 communicated to the progressive man agers here their desire to desert the administration and tie up with some body who stands show of being elected" Since President Taft's pes
 simistic words regarding next years
 contest, spoken at Chicago, the La Toilette press agent asserts, southern republicans have been writing in in- quiring as to methods of breaking
 the control of Postmaster General Hitchcock and sending LaFollette dele
 gations to the republican national con- vention.'
 Thus it will be observed the practical politicians of the LaFollette camp are not claiming all their strength because of the initiative, referendum and recall and the sentiment in favor of the peo- pie as against the interests" The LaFollette folk are talking open ly what political managers usually would state in private, an ingenious ness of methods that hardly can be
 matched. As d matter of fact, how ever, the situation in the south af- lords the least of the troubles with which the administration leaders have to contend at this time
 Baltimore seems to be about the only city fairly in the running at this stag, for the honor of entertaining next years democratic national convention In about two months the national com mittee will meet in Washington tt | fix the national convention, and som l of those prominent in the party cour cils are wishing some city--or cities 1 farther west would show more en | rhusiasm over capturing the gathering | than has been indicated.
 Baltimore is in dead earnest and vii | be on hand with an ample fund tt | tempt the committee to locate ther, and nominate the ticket that is to op. pose the republicans in the presidential contest.
 Some question has been raised as to the | facilities for taking care of the 'arg crowd of visitors next years democra ratis national convention is expected to at ! tract. The Baltimore committee on ways and means, however, has confided to party leaders a unique plan for helping out any possible lack of accommodation on ths part of the permanent hotels. There is d scheme afoot to lease a whole fleet oi Chesapeake bay steamboats for the con- vention season, tie them to the city docks and rent staterooms at $1 a night. Tn.
 proposition is one of the most unique ever
 advanced by a city seeking convention lI0aors.
 If il be carried out democrats of modest
 means not only may escape paying q
 weeks salary for a cot in a crowded hotel
 room, but, in case of typically hot con-
 vention weather, the steamers might ba
 cast loose and blow the waters of the bay
 while salt breezes ease the sleeping hours
 of- the weary partisans of Wilson, liar.
 mon. Clark and the rest of the entries in
 the race.