The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-26
REPUbL|CANSM MAKE
WAR ON EACH OTHER
Cohesive Power of Plumber
No Longer Guards the
Family Skeleton
TAFT ALARMED AT
ILLINOIS PRIMARY
Roosevelt Rebellion Again
Becoming Dangerous and
TAFT Supporters Be-
come Panicky
BIZ JAMES j. MONTAGUE.

WASHINGTON, March 25.-Split
into two warning and irreconcilabIe
factions. with New YORK threatening
to line up behind tho president. and
Illinois promising to declare Tor
Roosevelt, the Republican party has
become so divided against Itself that
even it's most optimistic leaders can
see no hope for II In November
Every light that Is now being made
by a Republican In against another
Republican. To-day. when II WAS
learned that Illicnois is 10 hold spe-
ctai session OF the Legislature TO en-
act a primary law, there was Wra'h
In the Taft camp and Joy in the
Roosevelt camp Each crowd frankly
hopes and prays for the utter anni-
hiiation of the other. and In the Bit
teruexs OF the warfare there Is not
one thought Of getting the party to-
xeher TO make stand against tho
on-coming Democrats.
For the first time in the late his
tory OF the party the cohesive power
Of plumber has not guarded the fam
, lily skeletons in its closet. Roosevelt
is opening the door on the hinges that
Taft has regarded as sacred secrets
Taft. or his intimates. are letting day
iight into the doings of Roosevelt
when he was president. And the
worst of this, from the party view
point, Is that both are in n position
to know what they are talking about.
and both arc probaly right
Roosevelt Again Dangerous.
The Roosevelt rebellion. at which
q week ago the president was told
10 snap hts fingers. Is one more be-
coming dangerous. The result In In
diana. while still apparently cloud
"a in obscruity, has scared the Taft
people into a panic. The news that
the people Of Illinois will have an OPP
portunity to record their presidential
preferences IL bad news for the ad-
rnanistration. The people of illinois
do not want Taft any more than do
the people OF North Dakota. Nobody
knows that better than the presidents
advisers.
In the Western States. while La
!. Toilette may beat Roosevelt, every
contest vii prove more conciusivety
than the last that there is no sent-
ment for TAFT.
In the face or this the Taft back
ers are getting ready to change horses
In the middle Qf-the-streaIn This
under ordinary circumstances they
admit 10 bad politics. but when the
horse q man is riding can't swim 1t
becomes necessary.
TaSt's Friends Gold FLOODED.
OF the friends that Mr.. Taft has
made In politics not one cares straw
for him personally. All are cold
FLOODED. self-seeking politicians.
&moot in tina West. Crane in New
England. Pcnrose IN Pennsylvania are
for smooI Crane and Penrose. re-
Spsctiveiy.
BECAUSE the administration has all
the underhoies In State scrimmages
they are behind Taft. But the daily
increasing evidence that the voters are
not for them has determined them 20
desert him just as soon as he has
gtven them all the individual support
he can. and 10 nominate at Chicago
q man who will have some chance Of
being elected In November.
Mckinley. Only Starred.
The Taft bureau director Mckinley
set out to he a second Mark Hanna,
but he only started. His attempt To
bsowheat oficeholders lin the South
has turned against Taft every South
ern otzioeholder who had either indie
pendence or far-sightedness. Tho re-
ranks Of the solid South. and go to
Roosevelt, and other States will fol-
low.
In West Virginia, which was former
ly held in line by men like Elkins,
Roosevelt Ia going to run away with
the delegates.
La Toilette on his Western tour
away from Roosevelt, but that will not
help TAFT. save to q safe. sure road
to some judgcship or other.
Plays Penny Politics.
Ia the meantime. the Taft h,sress,s
plays penny politics by issuinx per-
sonal attacks on utterances Of Roosc-
welt Ave and ten years ago. by quot
49, nNq
tronege beneficiaries in praise OF Taft
or by counting two delegates where
one actually exists.
Out OF Washington the Presidents
supporters tight desperately every ef-
fort to secure verdict OF the peo-
pie on hia candidacy. and to win over
to him delegates who have already
bean instructed FOR other candidates.
4, tight ON the Illinois proposal has
besn ordered. and will be conducted by
such sterling patriots a. Lorimer by
tho methods they know how to use
It 10 illuminating In this connection
to nOto that an OF Mr.. LOrimer's sup
port In his fight TO hold his seat comes
from TAFT senators. and that Taft sem
Isaac Stephenson. Of Wisconsin. whose
election cost him 3103,000 against
charges. which, II sustained, will send
him back to Wisconsin to make room
FOR q progressive ~ the representa-.
tive Of the state In the Senate.
6p1lt Indiana.
INDIANAPPOLIS. IND. March Is.
Six Taft and two Roosevelt dele
rates to the chicago convention was
chosen IN Indiana today. The TAFT
forcoG won ct tho Third. Fourth and
ulfth district conventions, each OF
which elected two delegates and two
alternatess The Roosevelt faction
won IN the Eleventh district. where
two delegates ana two alternates
were elsCted. One presidential eiee-
To- and ono contingent elector were
nominated In each Of the four dis
tricts The First district elected two
TIN delegates on March 18th and
the Seventh district named two Taft
men On March 18th.
In ~ TAird district at New Al
sAaZ tenssns ne Rco..ys!s 1acl.on
cspsaa1e1 o. 5000 rasssi