New-York tribune., 1911-12-14
From The Tribune Bureau
WashinGton, December To-

MaEhjUEtbnt DthtHibii
THE CORoNERs INQUEST.-The ex-
tremelv sudden demise OF the Roosevelt
Presidential boom. the birth Of which ere
a,ed so much excitement in some quarters
on Monday. has led to the holding Oh
ccroner's inquest TO determine the cause Oh
death. The verdict is that the pnny III
fant died from lack of nutrition. III Is
found that the little boom came into lhe
world with only one parent in the hepup-
lican National Committee, that same beihs
William L. Ward, who thus sought TO I'M
press upon Mr.. Taft the displeasure whicP
n part Of the New York voters feel because
OF the suits against the trusts. OUTSIDE
Of the committee. the little creature had
three wet-nurscs They were Walter
Brown, chairman OF the Republican State
Committee, OF Ohio, and attorney for Dan
r. Hanna: T.. f. Lee. chairman of the
Republican state Committee, of Indiana.
ard protege of ex-senator BeveridSe ana
w. L. Houser, manager or the La Toilette
campaign. An effort was made TO prove
some responsibility for the boomlet on the
part Of Lucius n. Littauer. of New York,
eX- Representative and sponsor for the nom
nation Of Mr. sherman as Nice-President'
but his guilt was not clearly established.
II was suggested that the investigation OF
the coroner should include All effort TO de-
termine how a boomlct with such parentage
ca ne 10 he taken seriously and what led 10
It's receiving so much publicity In the press.
but tho coroner decided that no amount OF
inquiry could be expected TO reveal reasons
for certain vagarcs Of the press, and that
such an investigation. however thorough.
would prove waste Of time, although he
iutlmatcd that the amount OF space Sc
cured IN the newspapers for anything so
II significant clearly indicated that certain
politicians had missed their vocatlons, and
that they could obviously make their fort
unes # they would adopt the more lucrative
employment OF press agents. Their achieve
ment IN this instance Is regarded az the
more remarkable because only one Of the
forty-eight members or the national COM
n1ttee is willing to express any faith In the
Roosevelt boom. Members OF the national
committee who are still I'm the city Insist
that in choosing the anniversary OF the
Battle Of Waterloo for the meeting Of the
national convention they intended nothing
personal or dsrespectful 10 the return
from Elba' movement-thst In fact, they
never even thought of f.
DIRECT PRTMARTES.-The enemies of
Republican success have not missed the
opportunity to misrepresent the action of
the national committee in refusing 10 au-
thorize the election OF delegates 10 the
national convention by primaries where
there is no legal provision for them, and
I'm leaving 20 the discretion OF the state
committee the employment Of such legal
provision where II exists. This is heralded
abroad a. A blow 10 the primary system.
although It is nothing OF the kind and no
one who heard the argument in the meet
ing Of the committee could fail TO realize
that any other course would have been un-
wise. The unwisdom OF authorizing pr'-
marics where there is no legal provision
therefor has been pointed out IN The
Tribune both editorlally and otherwise.
without such legal provision, including
proper penalties for fraud. such pri-
maries would fall far short Of insuring
fair expression Of the will ot majority
Of the people. But even where such legal
provision exists the state committee must
be vested with discretion TO decide whether
or not IL shall be employed. Where there
is 4 just primary law it will not be disre-
rarded by state committee, because such
disregard would insure condemnation by