The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-29
BOOMERS WORKING !. ;. FOR CONVENTION Lively Fight Is Expected
 January s BALTIMORE HUSTLING
Chicago, Kansas City and St. Louis Have Extended Fight and St. Paul Is Getting Ideas-Re-
 publicans Go to Chicago
By RoDERICk CLIFFORD

By RODERICk CLIFFORD
 Washington, October 2S.-(Special)- Democratic convention boomers have be- come active since the announcement that the democratic national committee would meet in Washington on January to fix the time and place for holding the demo- cratic national convention. In addition to selecting the time and place for the con- vention the committee will have to de- termine the question whether resolution shall be passed inStructing the state com mittee to provide for a direct vote Tor del- epates to the convention. It Is announced that the Democratic Progressive league will ask the committee to make such a recommendation to the state committee.
 The activity of the convention boomers forecasts a lively fight in the committee for inc convention city. Baltimore has been in the field for some time and is making a vigorous effort to obtain from members of the committee pledges or support of their campaign to take the con-. ,,ention to the Monumental City, and tho Baltimore boomers assert they have been given assurance of enough votes to Win.
 Recent developments would indicate, on the other hand, that the Baltmoreans are a bit over-optimistic, as Chicago, Kansas NgI and it is said St. Paul intends to extend an invitation to the committee. It Is un- derstood that some of the members of the national committee who several months ago were disposed to vote for Baltimore. have changed their minds. 1t is said they have been impressed with the argumen, advanced by some of the western mem- bers of the committee that if the conven- tion should be held in an eastern city, ,,-i+l, 1aft tntaar arxr dencies be nominated. the party would enter the campaign with heavy handi- cap.
 Up to the present the men who have been considered as candidates for the nomination for President have given no indication of their preference and taken no part in the preliminary slkirmishes over the selection of a convention city. Friends of Governor Wilson have intimated they believe the governor would prefer to see the convention go west, but so far no declaration has come from the governor.
 The announcement that the democratic national committee would meet here in January, which will be almost month later than the fixed date by the repdbli- can committee, gives assurance that the republican convention will, as usual, pre- cede that of the democrats, It has been lintimated by members of the republican committees, WllO nave Dctil SNNlieiiASido views as to the time for holding the con vention, that the delegates would be sum- moned to assemble next June, probably the latter part of the month.
 Chicago is about the only city consld- cred so far by members of the republican committee as the place for holding the convention
 Despite the fact that the convention will be held almost every year from this r..4 ,l.ao ,lt- ie fa1 pfa ay tended fight against the renomination of President Taft and the indorsement by the meeting of progressives in Chicago this week of Senator LaFollette is ie- garded here as but the opening gun of this campaign. Notwithstanding this, old po litical leaders. professed to be optimistic as to the outcome and freely concede the nomination to MT. Taft +
 On the other hand, there seems to be no question that there has been consid- erable dissatisfaction among the rank and file of the republican party, and that there has developed strong opposition to the President.
 The only candidate to appear in opposi- ton to President Taft up to the present is Senator LaFolette. and indications are that these will be the only names that will receive serious consideration at the convention. There. is still a possibility, but no apparent probability, that an at tempt will be made to bring forward the name of Colonel Roosevelt but it Is well known that such an attempt will be made over the vigorous protest of the former President. Colonel Roosevelt has stated publicly on numerous occasions that oven if nominated he will refuse to accept.
 No serious thought is given here to the report that the recent opposition ex- pressed by Colonel Roosevelt to the stand of President Taft on the Controller Bay land question was q forerunner of the Colonels purpose to exert his Influence against Mr. Taft. old political war horses laugh at tho report. and declare it to be but the product of some fertile mind.
 Most of the opposition to President Taft was expected from the west and the middle west and the stand of Kentucky and Tennessee in the progressive gather ing came as a distinct shock to the fol- levers of the President It is said that for this reason the President was advised to prolong his trip so as to take in these states on the return from the Pacific coast, and endeavor to turn back the tide of sentiment there in his favor.
 At this time the strength of the pro- gressives is largely probematical, but that it has grown sufficiently to give the Pres ident and his campaign managers uneasi- Hess is not denied. But the reception ac- corded the Chief Executive on ths pres ent trip to the Pacific coast has greatly encouraged them and led to the conelu- sion that the President will carry the convention with rush.
 President Tafts own state, Ohio, is ex- pected to give him solid delegation all the republican leaders there except former Senator FoialSer and James A. Garfield having declared for him. Three years ago much opposition to the nomination of MT. Taft came from New England but condi- tions there have changed since then, and a solid delegation probably will go to the convention instructed for MT. Taft. This change of sentiment is held to be due to the fact that the President has freed him self from the political advisers who Lad gathered about him during the first part of his term and, who had become unpopu- lar with the people.