The Washington herald., 1911-12-12

by a preferential primary or by the old
convention system. An effort also will
be made TO have this matter Of dis
Cretion apply to the delegates TO the
district convention.
Primary Is Not Likely.
The impression tonight is that the
committee will decline to include Presi-
Dental primaries in its call. except in
the case of the six States now having
laws on this subject. The La Toilette
representatives in the committee are
strong for the primary system, and there
are good many Westerners who pro-
fess to be supporters of Taft that favor
leaving the matter discretionary with
the State organizations. 1t is possible
that the proposition proposed by Chair
man Brown may slip through by a
narrow margin, but the indications are
tonight that it will be defeated.
President Tafts friends appreciate ap-
parently that a Presidential primary in
Ohio for delegates at large would amount
TO Mr.. Taft risking practically all on a
single move. II he should be defeated in
this contest in his own State, he could
not very well go before the convention
with a bid for other delegates. Under the
loose conditions which would exist with
Jul statutory TeEuldllOT, Jne PRESIDENT s
friends believe that he would be risking
too much in giving his consent to such a
contest.
1t has been apparent for several DAYS
that Republican opponents OF the Presi-
dent in Ohio are using the Presidential
primary proposition as cloak to hid9 the
Roosevelt boom, and many expect to see
a Roosevelt demonstration in the national
committee tomorrow when this subject Is
will aff
an opportunity of expressing their opin-
ions that the former President would be
the selection of the rank and file of the
party if they have an opportunity to eX-
press themselves.
Mr.. News ChairmanshIP.
The row between Frank H. Hitchcock
and Harry New, which has famed up
again. is OF several years standing. Mr..
New was acting chairman of the national
committee four years ago, when he was
displaced by Hitchcock. Mr.. New started
out in the Taft campaign as the manager
of the Taft campaign in Indiana, but be-
fore the fight was over he had had
trouble with National Chairman Hitch
cock. The feeling between gthe two has
been strained ever since.
The story told this afternoon by News
friends was that he had been given to
understand that the President would like
to see him made chairman of the impor-
tant committee on arrangements. The
other members of this committee were
supposed to have received an admins
tration Endorsement.
In fact, Mr.. New, il was said, was
asked to accept place by men sup
posed to be representing the President
Everything apparently was going along
smoothly in this connection until the
national committeeman from the South
ern States held a meeting this morning
and started out after Mr.. News scalp.
They recalled that Mr.. New. working
in the interest of Fairbanks and the
other allies in the 1908 convention, had
voted in favor of reducing the repre-
sentation of the Southern States in the
national convention. They empowered
Powell Clayton, national committee
man from Arkansas, to appoint a COM
mittee of five to see that there was no
repetition of this threatened danger at
the next national convention.
= MIR. Hill Takes a stand
Inc meeting of the Southern commit
teemen hadn't been adjourned very long
before the opposition to Mr.. New as
chairman of the committee on arrange
ments began to make itself felt. News
friends charge that Hitchcock was behind
the attack At any rate, John F. Hill,
Of Maine, the present vice chairman, who
is to be made chairman of the national
tomorrow, when Mr.. Hitch
cocks resignation is accepted, raised
an objection to News appointment. 1t
has been the custom of the national COM
mittee in previous years to provide by
resolution that the chairman appoint this
on arrangeents, of which
he himself is the ex officio head. Mr.
Hill. It is understood, represented that
the appointment of New would be humili-
ating to him. and declared that he would
not make the appointment.
This resulted in a hurried call for
meeting OF the executive committee of
the national committee. At this meet
ing Frank Lowden, OF Illinois; Mr.. Hill.
and Charles F. Broker, of Connecticut, |
President Taft and ascertain IL he had
tee on arrangements. This committee |
found Senators Crane and Penrose, Post
tary Hilles in conference. 1t is under |
the attitude that he had taken.
Conferences mt q Late Hour.
The conference resulted In no definite
settlement Of the matter, and II was |
taken up again at the White House late !
tonight. after President Taft's dinner TO |
the national committeeman. Harry New,
while these confabs were going on At !