New-York tribune., 1912-03-20
Wisconsin Senator Carries North
Dakota in First State-Wlde
Presidential Prefer
enCe Primary.
TAFT MEN MADE NO CONTEST
Roosevelt Managers Concede
Defeat, but Attribute Result to
Many Democrats Voting in
Republican Primaries
Fight Was Bitter.


North Dakota over Theodore Roosevelt
and President Taft.
Frank Talcott. chairman OF the Re-
publican State Committee, and John r.
Bass. manager Of the Roosevelt cam
paign in this state, informed Senator
Joseph NJ. Dixon, at Washington, late
tonight that in their opinion Senator
La Toilette had carried the primaries
Neither made a prediction as 10 La Fol-
lette's plurality, but conceded that Colo
mel Roosevelt had been defeated.
This decision was reached by the
Roosevelt managers after nearly COM
plete returns had been received from
eighteen of the forty nine counties in
the state. Going over the figures from
these eighteen counties. the Roosevelt
men conceded ten of them TO La Fol-
lette outright, listed two others as about
even and claimed six for their candi-
date
With these figures as basis II was
decided that there were not enough
Roosevelt votes on the Western Slops
to balance the heavy poll for La Fo!-
lette in the Eastern portion Of the state.
Even in some portions Of the cow coun-
try" La Toilette ran even or better.
Leaders Of the La Toilette movement
sent a telegram TO the Senator saying
that he had Won by from $1,000 to 10000
votes They declared that they would
admit no smaller margin.
The total figures on nand at this time
give La Toilette 6.953 Roosevelt 1881
ard Taft 30 These returns are from
1G3. precincts out Of total OF 1,SOO in
the state.
Bass LAYS Result TO Democrats.
With early figures as a basis, John p.
Bass. manager Of the Roosevelt CAM
paign. issued the following statement:
our reports indicate that practically
all the Democrats have voted for La
Toilette. and this has run up the early
returns for him in the eastern ana Vahey
section Of the state, where La tollette
is running ahead about two 20 one our
later returns from the western slope IN
d;cate that that country is generally for
Roosevelt by two 10 one. do not con-
cede La Toilette success, and predict
that Roosevelt will win by close vote.
II The Democrats had stayed out or the
Republican primary there is no question
that Roosevelt would have won.
Leaders at La Toilette state headquar-
ters issued a statepent in which they
said that La Toilette had defeated Roose-
welt by 10000 votes
II. y. Tucker, at Courtenay, chairman
Of the North Dakota Progressive League,
declares that Of all the votes counted at
10 o'clock. La Toilette had received 65
per cent.
II was the first Presidential preference
primary iii the United States. and the
fight betW cen the La Toilette and the
Roosevelt supporters has been marked
by great bitterness The Taft men took
little or no part In the contest, leaving
the La Toilette and the Roosevelt forces
to fight 1t out by themselves. Senator La
Toilette himself stumped the state from
end TO end.
The Roosevelt state headquarters con-
cede the city of Grand Forks to La Fol-
lette by 800 and the city Of Devils Lake
to La Toilette by to /.
The total vote in Valley City was: La
Toilette, 404;. Roosevelt, 2l3, and TAFT.
16.
Roosevelt Carried Former Homo.
Roosevelt carried Medora, his former
ranching home. The vote was: Roose-
welt, 20; La Toilette, 13.
Dispatches sent to the Progressive
League headquarters in Minneapolis
give La Toilette a majority OF LOU IN
Barnes County, in which Valley City -
located: a majority of 30 for La Fol-
lette at Mandan. and Hettnger Town
ship. in the cow country" gives La Fol-
lette 20, Roosevelt 80 and Taft 2. They
also say that, with few precincts miss
ing Fargo has given La Toilette 2'S53
and Roosevelt 1,120. Logan County,
considered Roosevelt stronghold, shows
majority for La Toilette.
other returns follow; Cass county
800 majority for La Toilette; Tran
County. La Toilette l,126 Roosevelt 23'
and taft %; Steele County, La Toilette
6OO and Roosevelt $50; Benson County.
Ia Toilette 627 and Roosevelt 2i6
Twenty-seven precincts in three
counties-Stark, Billings and Dunn-ln
the cattle country, give La Toilette l,O24
and Roosevelt S27.
In Pembina County seven precincts our
Of thirty-four gave Roosevelt 219 and La
Toilette 81
Criggs County gave La Toilette ma
jority of 900.
Pierce County gave La Toilette good
majority although returns from the rurai
districts cannot be had tonight.
In the city of Rugby La Toilette re-
ceived 100 votes, Roosevelt SO and Taft
-.
Complete returns from the primaries
IN Bismarck give Roosevelt S5T, La Fol-
lette 256. and Taft 81.
The Democratic vote in the state has
been exceedingly light. Precinct after
precinct saw absolutely no Democratic
votes. while others had only from five TO
ten. This is said to indicate that the
Democrats went into the Republican pri-
maries quite strongly
Owing to the severe storm wnicn
swept the state to-day. 1t Is probable
that the vote, cast will be less than
so oo0 II is said that the blizzard was
much more severe In the western por-
ton. which Is considered Roosevelt ter