The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-29
SENTIMENT IN WEST FAV0RS GOV. WILSON Garber Writes Encourag-
 ingly to Smith on Outlook TAFT SHOT TO PIECES' According to Garber, the Democrats
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TAFT SHOT TO PIECES"
According to Garber, the Democrats Should Score Signal Victory-Taft May Carry Iowa-Wilson's
 Greatest Task Consolidation

Montgomery. August 2S-(Special)-A serting that Governor Woodrow Wilson will carry Colorado. Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and other western states, Col. All exander M. Garber, former attorney gen. eral of Alabama, has written most en- couragng letter to Brooks Smith, chair man of the central executive committee of the association of Wilson and Marshall clubs of Alabama.
 Colonel Garber declared in his letter to Chairman Smith that sentiment out west was most favorable for Wilson, express ing his belief that Taft has literally been shot to pieces, and that he has no ray of hope with the western voters, with the possible exception of Iowa.
 According to Colonel Garber. the dem ocrats should score a signal victory in November He pointed out in his letter the observation that had been made by prominent progressive in the west, who claimed that Wilson g greatest task would be the conciliation of the discordant ele- ments of the democratic party, one of which elements was represented by the Belmont Murphy type and the other by the conservative democrats of the south. These two elements, according to Colonel Garbers informant presented scylla and charbydis through which the dem- ocratic ship of state might founder.
 Colonel Garber's Letter
 The following is the letter of Colonel Garber to Brooks Smith,
 T returned from western trip several days ago, after an absence of several weeks I spent most of my time in Den yer Colo, where I met representatives of the supreme lodge from practically every state in the union. I naturally asked them the political situation in ther respective states. The result of my many inquiries was in the great majority of in- stances most favorable to Wilson. l think you may safely count upon a signal triumph of the national democracy in November. Colorado will go for Wilson, and 1t was asserted by several with whom talked from each state, that Wilson would carry Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.
 ''The bull moosers occasionally claimed that Roosevelt would break into the cleo tora1 vote of the solid south. However, there Is scarcely a possibility of such an occurrence. Roosevelt will doubtless carry Minnesota, with some chance of securing the Dakotas. His adherents also claimed Massachusetts,, Pennsylvania and Cali fornia and several other western states. Several from California, however, claimed that Wilson had good chance of secur- Ing this state Wilson has also good chance in Maine.
 Taft has been the target of so many sharpshooters that he Is literally shot to pieces with no hope of recov- cry He probably will carry Iowa, but practically has no ray of hope in the west. I found intense bitterness f,,I.. tof in hsa- tween the standpatters. largely repre- sented by the old soldier vote of the E. o. D. and their allied interests and the insurgent progressives. The one stands aided by Taft and the other ardently supports Roosevelt. 1 ob- served also that some of the progress sives regard LaFollette a more ideal leader than Roosevelt. These insurgent progressives frankly admit that they do not expect Roosevelt to win this time, but apparently are satisfied with the prospects of Wilson's victory. One intense progressive declared to me that the democrStic party had now it's final chance and if 1t measured up to it's opportunities after Wilson's election would remain in power. but with apolo- getic egotism, predicted that the con- servative democrats. of the south and the Belmont Murphy type of Tammany presented the Scylla and Charybdis through which the democratic ship or state would founder.
 "In other words. took him to mean that even in this fight, Wilson's most diff ficult task, one requiring the diplomacy of an astute and experienced statesman was the conciliation of the discordant element from the north and the west. r,anner which at the same time would gather new recruits from the progressive element fro mthe north and the west. Kansas may also fall into the Wilson col umn, as fight between the two fac lions of the republican party out there is extremely bitter, and many Of the stand patters, or Taft men, may at the last moment vote for Wilson to prevent Roosevelt victory and the supremacy of his followers in the state. In Tennessee 1t is predicted that Hooper will win over McMillan for governor. If we do not make some colossal mistakes we are sure of a victory"