The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-08-17
TIE UP TO TAFT
What the Bosses Want Minnesota
to DO
THEY SIZE THINGS UP
Republican MaaipuldtOrs Want to
Turn Minnesota Over to the
National Administration
Especial CORRESPONDENCE


ST.. PAUL, Aug. 15.-HoW s President
Taft up your way? How do the boys
feel? The above are questions asked
frequently by the republican leaders
these days and always with a note of
anxiety that shows fear for the future.
Regarding the answers, the republican
leaders who are so anxious about Mr..
Taft's future in the North Star state
have not confided in me as yet, but l
will be willing to wager that the ma
jority of them have not been to their
satisfaction. If the ward men and
county leaders who were questioned
told the truth-and / see no reason
for quibbling at this stage of the
game-they would say that the situa
tion is not the best in the world. To
tell it to you straight, as far as my
own observations are concerned, the
situation is bad. Were convention
for the selection of delegates to the
national convention held at the pres
ent time, the presidents managers in
Minnesota would have a hard time
saving the state for their favorite.
Honestly, / do not believe that they
could save him.
| know what you are going to say to
all this. That Minnesota is repub-
l;can state: that it is loyal to the pres
ident and his policies and that as far
as the LaFollette strength is con-
cerned it is only in spots. Allof which
is partly true Minnesota is republic
can. but it is not hidebound as of old.
1t is loyal to the president, but l am
not so sure regarding its admiration
of some of the presidents policies,
while as to La Follettism being in
spots, remember spots grow. Just an
alyZe the situation for yourself. The
first district is not of the best. Its
congressman, Anderson, and his fol-
lowers are 'agin' the government. The
second, Governor Eberhart's home, is
in the hands of the democrats and the
progressives. The fifth, Hennepin
county, is always an uncertain guam
tity, with the La Toilette machine
even now bending every energy to
capture it, while the sixth and sew
enth are admittedly wrong. The two
sure districts at the present time are
the fourth, Ramsey county, which
takes in st. Paul, and the eighth,
which includes the Iron Range. So
cialism has a heavy following in the
ninth district, but it is not looked
upon as wrong. The third district is
regarded as re isonably safe for Mr..
Taft. All this is not summing up
from reports furnished by the various
leaders. Far be it from them to in
dulge in such views. 1t represents
the drift of conversation caught in
the hotels, views aired at the plO1
handle and gossip heard at the vii
lage store. Just sit down and comb
over your own memory and ponder
over what you heard during the day
on this very same subject.
But enough OF this pessimistic talk.
Time heals many sores and politics
is no exception to the rule. The big
game always has tomorrow and the
condition pointed out only covers to-
day. Though the pot is simmering it
is long way off to the big boil and
by that time conditions may be en-
, tirely the reverse. In Minnesota Pres
ident Taft has the brains of the or
ganization behind him; Mr.. La Fol-
lette his managers say-the people,
but will the latter cut any figure at
the conventions? In the past they
have been busy with other things
about that time. Instate capitol cir