New-York tribune., 1912-03-04
TAFT GAINS STEADILY
AS CAMPAIGN GOES ON
Thirty Delegates Added to HIS
Support Since Organized
Opposition Began.
TWELVE GOVERNORS RALLY
Many Progressives Neutral or
for the President, and
denomination Senti-
ment Grows.
tFrn,n The Tribune Bureau. !

Washington, March 3.-The week just
ended brought thirty more delegates into
the Taft column. all except four or them
instructed. and contest threatened win
regard to the two delegates from the sd
Missouri District Total number Of dele
gates thus far chosen. "a. Total for Pres
ident Taft, a. Number OF delegates IN
volved in threatened contests, 1.
In other respects the Taft campaign has
made headway most satisfactory to the
men at the head OF It, The announce
ment OF organized opposition has resulted
in stimulating the activities Of Dir. Tatts
supporters and in developing the over
whelming sentiment which Is behind his
candidacy Twelve Republican Governors
at once came out in open and aVowed sup
port, and figures were adduced TO sho"
that President Taft In states whose seven
Governors now oppose him, received d
popular vote exceeding that OF the seven
Governors BY 1s0,199.
Senator Root and every Republican mem
Der OF the New York delegation remain
loyal to President Taft. or Massachusetts,
Senator Lodge announced that. BECAUSE oi
his personal relations to Colonel Roosevelt
although strongly opposed TO the rtcah o.
judicial decisions, he Will remain neutral
in the pre-convention contest, while hep-
resentatiye Gardner and Lieutenant Gov
ernor rockingham, both OF Massachusetts
have declared for President Taft
Progressive Force Divided
Other Prorressives. like Senator Borah.
have withheld their support and yet
others, like Representatives Martin ana
Burke, of South Dakota, and Humphrey
Of Washington. and Senator Jones. Ut
Washington, are supporting Mr.. TAFT EX-
Governor y. ]. Bachelor, Of New Hamp-
shire. president Of the National Grangi =
declared that the Columbus sreech mace
Colonel Roosevelts name impo, sible. In
Orange. n. j.. the Mckinley and RooseVe't
Club changed It's name and indorsed the
candidacy of President TAFT. FIFTY Ne"
Hampshire Progressives. previously aSso-
ciated with Governor Bass. pledged their
support TO Mr.. Taft
In Michigan. enthusiastically described as
a stronghold Of the opposition, the national
committeeman, John w Blodgett indorsei
the President and the sth District con-
vention instructed its delegates to vote Tor
him. Taft clubs and TAFT leagues are be-
ing formed all over the country. notably
in Ohio. New jersey. Mas achusttts, New
Hampy hire. West Virginia. Connecticut ana
Michigan In the State OF Washington tine
state committee has lndOrsed the candidacy
OF AIr. Taft The North Carolina commit
tee has indorsed the administration.
Taft Gaining in New York.
In New York. Kings County viii send
solid Taft delegation - Chicaeo; the ctIh
District committee has indorsed Taft can
d!dates FOR delegates. the Jefferson County
convention has iDdorsed the President and
repudiatel the recall doctrine, and the
Dutchess County committee has declared
for Mr.. TAFT.
Delegates TO state and district conven-
tions from Surrey. Rockingham and Dan
vile counties, Va. are for Taft so are
the delegates from seYen Of the eight Iowa
counties that have choSen delegates. Appa-
moose and Adams being the latest The
I'd Kentucky District has indorsed the
President and so have Anderson Oconee
and Pickens counties. s. c.
Eleven OF the fourteen counties In the
Attn Tennessee District have chosen solid
Taft DELEGATIONS. At MIlbury, Mass. a
and Representative Mccall is authority for
the statement that the Massachusetts, dele
CATION OF thirtysix will be unit for the
President. In Missouri Governor Hadley
offered TO divide the delegation. and the
answer OF the Taft supporters was to capt
ure the Sd District convention.
Polls taken In Washington and In Mime
sofa indicate a strong preponderance Of
Taft sentiment A poll of the press galleries
in Congress indicated in a proportion OF
three to one that the newspaper corre-
spondents are Of the opinion that Mr..
Taft's denomination is assured.
Seventy-eight OF the ninetysix counties
in Tennessee have elected delegates to the
district and state conventions. OF these
seventy-fve are for President Taft, two
are for Roosevelt and one is for both Taft
and Roosevelt.