The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-01-12
BOB WILLING
BUT NOT TAFT
LaF GILLETTE rs WILLING TO
TRUST HIS NOMINATION
WITH MASS OF VOTERS
BUT TAFT PREFERS A SET
OF DELEGATES SIGNED,
SEALED AND DELIVERED.

Washington d. c., January ll.-One
of the chief differences between Sena-
tor LaFollette and President Taft is to
be found in the fact that Senator La
Toilette is willing and anxious that all
of the voters in all parts of the country
be permitted to name the republican
candidate for the presidency, while
President Taft Is determined to have the
nomination regardless of the wishes of
the people. Senator LaEollette is will
ing to rest his case with the voters.
President Taft, unwilling to do likewise,
proposes to have the delegates from the
southern states tied in a knot and de
livered to him en- masse at Chicago.
The presidential nomination situation is
presented clearly, fairly and without
prejudice in the current number of 'The
California Outlook" which says:
"A striking and significant contrast,
and one that is agreeable for the liberal
mind to contemplate, is the attitude of
the national republican committee to-
ward presidential primary as against
that of the California legislature and
the governor
"'rhe point at issue is simple enough.
Are the delegates to the national re-
publican convention to be selected by
the people or by the leaders and local
bosses? Is the nomination to express
the views of the membership of the party
or a few individuals who have managed
to gain control Of the machinery? The
question was put squarely before the
and vote taken. The Taft people
stood in solid phalanX against the di-
rect primary, and, as they have an over
whelming majority in the committee, it
was voted down They had nothing to
offer against the plan, except that they
were sure of the delegates as the case
stood and thay wnrn not willing TO tal-o
chances on a veto to their program by
the mere common herd of the party.
Governor johnson has given a little
more high light to the contrast by the
publication of letter from Senator La
Toilette in which he frankly recognizes
the fact that the adoption of a primary
law may result in transferring the Cali
fornia delegation from his column to
Taft's, but nevertheless advises that the
primary be ordered because it is right
"Thus far no letter from Mr.. Taft to
the national committee urging the adop-
tion of direct primary because it was
right has been made public. In fact
the utterances of the president on the
recall and direct legislation and his gen
eral attitude toward democracy and the
rule of the people seem to indicate that
he is entirely at home in the company OF
the majority of the national committee
that was opposed to allowing the mem
bership of the party chance to express
! its wishes.
The Manchus of the republican party
are destined to pay dearly for the oper
display of contempt for the rank and
file of the organization. Gradually il
will sink into the programmed voters Of
! the eastern region that their brethrer
in the progressive states enjoy privil
eyes within the party that are denied
to them, and they will demand to know
the reason. No doubt we would all o
us be in favor of an aristocraey if W,
could only have the assurance that W,
were to be of the favored few. The ma
tional committeeman are doing very
well, thank you, and would rather hav
things continue just as they are. Blu
a little later they will begin TO hea
from the back counties"