The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-12-13
Gather in Washington After Holt
days to Name Convention City and
Name the Date.
TAFT SURE OF DENOMINATION
But Opponent is to Be Picked From
Bunch of Candidates Eager
for the Fray.
BY WINFIELD JONES.

BY WINFIELD JONES.
Washington, December 10
tSpecial) -Nationa political cam
paigns are inaugurated at the meet
ings of the two national commit
tees of the parties Immediately be-
fore the convention dates are fixed.
This has been the practice for half
a century and the coming campaigns
will follow the usual course. The
Republican National Committee met
in Washington yesterday, mapped
out the preliminary work and decid-
ed to hold the national convention
at Chicago, June IS, and the Demo-
cnatic committee will meet imme-
diately after the holidays.
Looks Rosy to Democrats.
The tremendous Importance of the
Congressional election a year ago is
an evidence of the desperation with
which the parties will clash ten
months from now. That the Demo-
cratic party was swept into control
of the House of Representative and
came within few votes of control
ling the Senate has been taken as a
harbinger of success in the presiden-
tial contest by the Democrats.
Yet the far-sighted leaders of that
party are none too confident of the
result next November.
Republicans Hard to Keep Down.
No political organization in the
history of the country has been able
to sustain such terrific assaults as
has the Republican party. Almost
every contest since the Civil War
has demonstrated this. Twice. it is
true, the Repu blicans have lost con-
troll of the government, but they
were able to regain it in four years
in each of these instances.
This is the reason why the Demo-
cratic leaders are calculating upon
all possible contingencies. This is
why thov Own oorpoo,1jn~r ca. , 49,.
at every opportunity, and are work.
ing hard to prevent any DISRUPTION
either before or after their conven-
ton meets
These leaders know that the Re-
publican party is never whipped I'M
til the last state is heard from, and
while conditions now are in their
favor they are guarding against over
confidence.
Many Democratic Candidates.
There are many Democratic can
didates and all of them have friends
on the national committee. They
are looking to these friends to lose
no tricks and are depending upon
them to see that their opponents gain
nothing worth while, either in re-
gard to the place for holding the
convention, or in any other detail of
the committees action. Of course,
there is always the possibility that
Colonel Roosevelt will come forward
of In Tor f T., ;1
ty" by allowing himself to be nomi-
mated, but if his own declarations
are to be taken seriously and the
assurances of his friends are to be
believed, he will not under any cir
cumstances allow his name to be
presented.
This leaves the Republican con-
vention with nothing to do but to
nominate President Taft, and then
do what it can to frame a platform
which will win back into the party
the rank and file of the insurgent
forces. If this platform fails to heal
the break in the Republican ranks,
then the presidents. reelection is
remote.
Whatever may be the final out
come, the fact remains that within
less than a month the campaign will
be on in earnest, and for months to
come the country will give its at
tention largely to political affairs.