New-York tribune., 1912-02-27
THE VOICE OF A REMNANT.

Tn irving TO measure the strength OF
the demand for Colonel Roosevelts nom
nation. voiced in the letter sent him by
seven Republican governors, 1t is well 10
consider what proportion of the vote ID
the Electoral College is represented by
the states for which those governors as
sumed to speak. In the Electoral Col
lege of 1912 there will be 531 members.
The states of West Virginia, Nebraska,
New Hampshire, Wyoming, Michigan.
Kansas and Missouri will have siXty-six
members-a little more than one-eightn
of the whole. The seven governors,
therefore. assuming that they really rep
resent their own people, are entitled 10
sneak with authority for the voters OF
only one-eighth of the Union, ana they
90 far beyond the sphere Of their own
official observation and into the realm OF
mere conjecture when they declare their
belief that "a large majority of the Re
"nublican voters Of the country faVor
"your TColonel RooSevelt'sl nomination
.'and large majority of the people favor
"your election as the next president oi
"the United States
It should be noted that Colonel Roose'
yelt does not accept the Judgment OF MS
seven petitioners as TO sentiment outside
their jurisdiction. In his reply to them
he saws that he deeply appreciates their
letter. expressing, as 1t does, the care
"fully considered convictions of the men
elected by popular vote to stand at the
"beads of government in their several
"states' He does not indorse their claim
TO be oracles-at-large, conveying to him n
authentic form the thought and feeling or
the nation. He knows that they are Dut
seven governors out Of forty-eight, and
that they can testify to the desires and
purposes of only an inconsiderable frac-
tion of the people.
1t can hardly be said, moreover, that
the states of West Virginia, Nebraska.
New Hampshire, Wyoming. Michigan
Kansas and Missouri are tied to the
apron strings Of their respective GOV
ernors. Governor Glasscock cannot de-
liver West yirginias vote in the national
convention, nor can Governor Hadley de-
| liver Missouris. 1t is highly probable
/ that majority Of the West Virginia and
Missouri delegations will favor President
Taft's denomination. Joseph NJ Carey.
of Wyoming. was elected Governor on d
Democratic and Progressive Republican
fusion ticket, defeating a regular Repub-
| lican candidate He does not represent
majority Of the Republican voters In
Wyoming, and will probably have no
hand in naming that states delegates to
Chicago. In New Hampshire Governor
Bass's leadership is opposed by the two
Senators and the two Representatives in
Congress, and probably by majority OF
the Republican voters. In Nebraska and
Kansas delegates will be elected at a
primary, and until the vote is counted no
mans guess as to its result is worth
much 1t is to be hoped that the .Michi-
gan Legislature will make provision for
a similar primary in that state, 50 that
the value of Governor Osborn's prophecy
may also be tested.
The seven governors may be firmly
convinced that it was confided to them
to read the hearts Of the voters and to
unravel the secrets Of the future. But TO
the cautious observer it must seem as If
they had overworked the gift of divina-
tion.