The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-07
The Colonel Wins the Delega-
ton by Close Vote.
Has a Majority of Less Than
1900 in State.
DEMOCRATS CHOOSE CLARK
The Speaker Has a Majority
Over Both Opponents.
His Plurality Over Wilson in
Baltimore is 1880.

Baltimore. May 7.-Conplete unofh-
cial returns from the Maryland pr1ma-
ries today gave Theodore Roosevelt DO
delegates, or one more than necessary
to control the state convention. Demo-
cratic primary returns with only hve
precincts missing gave Clark 81, Wilson
A, Harmon 4.
Mr.. Taft's friends express q doubt
about only one county credited oy THESE
returns to Col. Roosevelt.
John H Hanna, chairman OF the Re-
publican state central committee, a
Taft leader, said he was in doubt about
the figures received from Howard
county which apparently Went 1or
Roosevelt by a majority of 80 The Iaft
managers had no other figures but sald
they wished to investigate the count
more closely All the other counties
carried by Roosevelt gave him MAORI
tiles of 400 to 1900
Sure of Howard.
The Roosevelt leaders said they were
sure of Howard county and pointed out
the vote there was handled by election
officials appointed by the friends OF
President Taft. With the three from
Howard, Roosevelt would have sc dele
gates to the state convention compared
with 63 for Taft. Mr.. Hanna said he
had received no evidence that war
ranted asking for g. recount, and it is
outside of the possible doubts he felt
regarding the result in Howard county.
He expressed the opinion, however,
that the presidents friends would con-
troll the state convention. 1t is impos-
sible to make any clean cut division of
the state delegation because the pri-
mary tickets carried the delegates
names without designation to show
their sympathies for one candidate. Or
the other and many of them are I'M
committed.
Instructions Are Binding.
Col. Roosevelt's supporters point out
that &c delegates to the state conven-
ton will insure him 16 votes at Chicago
and declare that the instructions that
these delegates shall continue to vote
for him until they conscientiously be-
lieve he cannot be nominated, are as
binding as the instructions imposed
upon national delegates from any other
state. Only one other county, Garrett,
remained in doubt on the Democratic
count this afternoon and there the re-
turns cannot change the result
If this county goes for Clark, as is
now indicated. he will have 81 delegates
compared with A for Governor Wilson
and four for Governor Harmon. C1ark's
majority in the state convention on this
basis would be 49,
Later estimates slightly reduce
Roosevelt's popular majority on the
state wide preference to 5000 and
Clark's plurality over Wilson to II 800
Although the Taft forces claim they
will control the personnel of the state
convention Col. Roosevelt's friends de-
clare they have no fear that trouble
may arise from his situation, they
point out that the state delegates elect
ed are bound by the law to instruct the
delegates to the national convention for
Roosevelt and they express confidence
that now the fight is over the two fac
lions into which the contest divided the
party will unite to place delegation
behind Col. Roosevelt that will remain
faithful to him at Chicago as long as
he has a chance of getting the nominal
ton.
Estimates Today of the personal
preferential vote of the state as
whole give Roosev 1t majority over
Taft of less than 1000. Clark's plural
ity in the city of Baltimore over Gov.
Wilson was about 12,7o0 and the vote
in the counties when it L. counted is
expected to reduce this to a total of
II, 600 for the state as a whole.
The state preferential vote had no
direct bearing on the result but the
Roosevelt and Clark campaign COM
it went for their candidates, since they
believe it will make the preference by
counties through which the state dele
gates are instructed all the more bind
ing anu luIAIdte against the spOSSlD1IlIy
that the delegates to the national con-
ventions will not stay hitched, If the
fight there is very close.
The law demands that the Maryland
delegates continue to vote as instructed
as long as in their conscientious judg-
ment they believe their candidates have
chance of getting the nomination.
The Colonel Is Dee-lghted
New York, May 7.-''Maryland went
right and 1 am pleased, of course, but
I have nothing else today said Col.
who came to his editorial
office from Oyster Bay today. Col.
I0HN | kNT0RyH Will