The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-18
FIVE STATES WILL
GIVE FAIR TESTS
5 to Who the People Favor
for Two Presidential
Nominations.
PRIMARY DATES.
(National News Assoc iation)

lNotlOnAl Ne"s AssOcatlOn)
BISMARCK. N. D., March 1910
North Dakota belongs the distinction
Of holding the first presidential prefer.
ence primary. On Tuesday next the
various political parties will elect dele
gates, to the national conventions and
at the same time express their choice
for the party's nominee for president.
The primaries have attracted the
national attention not only because
they are an innovation. but principally
on account Of the fight now being
waged between Colonel Roosevelt and
President Taft for the nomination.
The general expectation Is that the
result of the North Dakota primaries
will exert an important influence over
tho other statewide presidential pri-
maries that will be held in four other
states in the near future, as we'll as
over the state conventions.
Oregon. Nebraska. Wisconsin and
New Jersey, all will hold presidential
preference primaries within the next
ten weeks, and the date for Califor-
MAS primaries 10 expected to be set
soon.
Just now. Former President Roose-
welt, seems likely to capture the Re-
publican delegation of North Dakota,
while Champ Clark. Woodrow Wilson
and Judson Harmon appear to have
about equal chances for winning the
Democratic delegates.
It 10 generally conceded On all sides
that the Republican delegates elected
will be instructed to vote for the nomi'
nation of Colonel Roosevelt in the Chi
cago convention. The Republicans e.
innate that their voting strength in
the state will be about $4,000. and it
II figured that Roosevelt will poll at
least half of that number. that Pfesi
dent Taft will have about one-third.
and Senator Lafollette the remainder.
Even the Taft managers, It IL said,
are practically ready to concede that
the President cannot command q ma.
jority Of the North Dakota voters in
the preference primaries. Senator Nc
Cumber. who IL strong supporter of
the President, Ia declared to have
stated In q recent utterance that he
conceded an anti-Taft delegation. One
reason assigned IL that the farmers
OF North Dakota-and they comprise
the larger part OF the population of the
state-became deeply incensed at the
president because Of his advocacy Of
Canadian reciprocity and, although
that proposition failed through the re-
fusal Of Canada to enter the compact,
the agriculturists have not forgotten
the effort made by the President to
lower the duties upon the products of
the Dominion. which they contended
would compete with their own.
Concsding that the North Dakota
delegates elected by the people, in
stead Of being chosen by the old con.
yention plan. are instructed for Roose-
welt, singular situation is likely to
arise. The law makes delegates thus
elected to national conventions. off,
Gers Of the state and requires them
to take an oath the same ~ other
state officials. Their expenses. up to
$500. incurred In attending . national
convention. are paid by the state, and
there II ut least the moral obligation
ON them to comply with the instruc.
lions given them at the time of their
election.
Thus, II % instructed. they will be
Obliged to vote for Roosevelt no mat
ter what the circumstances may be
ut the convention. and even IL they
are the only ones that do vote for him.
They could not. under their instruc-
lions. which are not qualified in any
way. vote to make the nomination of
any other than the man they are in
structed for. unanimous. even II every
other delegate In the convention
should vote to do 80. There is no
provision In the primary election plan