Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-25

! interesting and important that the
perspective of the Baltimore situation,
taken by the most astute politicians in
charge of the Taft and Roosevelt
forces in Chicago is not in the least
bit altered by the information OBJ
tanned here from leaders who will be
the chief figures in the convention
which opened today
The Republican leaders in Chicago
had their minds filled with the grave
political condition which confronted
them. But absorbed as they were by
the political drama in which they were
playing a prominent part whenever the
tension was in the slightest degree re-
Taxed they evinced an interest in the
outcome of the Baltimore convention.
They realized that their own politi
cal fate was bound up almost as much
in the decisions with respect to can
didates and the platform which the
Democrats will make here as it was
in the result of their own convention
labors. Freely they confessed that
they saw only two chances of Re-
publican success in the approaching
campaign-both of them admittedly
slight
Thought Taft Might Retire.
The first chance which they consid-
cred was the possibility that they
might be able to persuade President
Taft that. having accomplished the de-
feat of Roosevelt, he should retire from
the race of his own volition and aid
them in persuading Justice Hughes to
accept the nomination. They appeared
to have a strong belief that with
Hughes as the candidate they would be
able to win
With Taft as the nominee most of
them looked for a Roosevelt bolt. and
conceded defeat, unless the Democrats
should make stupendous blunder in
the selection of their candidate This
was their second chance, and they at
tached more Importance to 1t than they
believe that there was any strong like
lihood that President Taft would be
able to see the situation in the light
in which they intended to present it to
him, and because they were inclined
to think that the number of aspirants
! for the Democratic nomination would
/ lead to such rivalry as to create a
storm of i'll feeling, which would end
in party havoc.
The one great overshadowing fear
in the minds of the Republican leaders
was of Democratic harmony. AS they
sized up the Baltimore situation. the
chances of Democratic dissension wera
more than even. In fact, they figured
it out that the only Democratic can
didate to whose nomination all ele-
ments of the party could be COM
pletely reconcied was Champ Clark.
Clark Could Unite Leaders.
Mr. Hearst having ardently advo-
Gated the candidacy Of Speaker Clark
and Mr. Bryan having stated that
Mr.. Clark would be entirely acceptable
to him, the selection of Mr. Clark
would bind the two most conspicuous
| Democratic leaders to the enthusiastic
support of the conventions selection.
Moreover Clark being a progressive,
he would fall heir politically to a
great deal of the independent pro-
!
potent political factor in the politics
of the country
Deep down in their innermost hearts
the most cherished hope of the Re
publican leaders in Chicago was that
the Democratic convention would
nominate a reactionary. With a re
dictionary at the head of the Demo-
cratic ticket and with Roosevelt ont
as an independent candidate the Taft
leaders thought that Mr. Taft would
have a very good chance to win.
Their expectation. or at least their
hope. was that If the Democrats
should select a reactionarys to head
the ticket there might be bolt of the
progressive element of the Democratic
party or such a feeling of resentment
on the part of this element as would
detract from Democratic solidarity.
Even the Roosevelt leaders calcu
lated upon the possibility OF a situa-
ton Of this kind arising and if it
should arise they have plans to con-
soldate as far as possible the pro-
gressive element in both parties in