The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-10

will give majorities for Roosevelt. Then 1 follow state primaries in New Jersey and South Dakota. Roosevelt people are con l hdent of carrying these states and the chances are that they will. | Added to this are a large number Of district conventions and state conventions where the Roosevelt tide will have it's in fuence. Several hundred delegates to the national convention are yet to be se- Iected and it is safe to assume that Roosevelt will get majority of them. Claims for delegates already named vary widely according to the manager who is making the claim. Both sides claim majority and back up their argu- ments with figures and statements that look reasonable. No man knows the real standing of the candidates. It is a fact however, that Roosevelt has the largest number of delegates that have been in structed first hand by the voice of the people and this will have large influence in the convention. It will also have its influence on delegates that have been considered as in the Taft column.
 Honor in Delegates
 The Taft people claim that instructed delegates in the south and elsewhere will not break away from him; that they are too honorable. Thinking people know politics too well to believe any such thing If there is panic and a. stam- pede, and only breath is necessary to precipitate one in the convention every delegate will swear that he is entitled to the seat with the driver There will cef- tainly be no stampede to Taft The neces- sarv inspiration is impossible with him or his record.
 There will certainly be an attempt in the convention to nominate a third man. This will be a delicate operation. The Taft people must take the lead and there is danger of losing everything in the shuffle It will take a mighty good man to be able to catch the ball in a double play of this kind and they will find Roose- welt looking both ways.
 Underwood's Chances
 And in the meantime the friends of Oscar Underwood are not troubling their minds about the fight in the republican party. Many of MT. Underwoods friends are really hungering for the nomination of MT. Roosevelt. They feel that Roose- velt's nomination would call for the norli- nation of a democrat who is considered more conservative than either of the men who are now leading in the pre-conven- ton contest. They argue that it would not be good politics or safe to deliver the country over without protest to the spirit of ultra progressiveness.
 New Phrase Needed
 MT. Underwood is progressive but with safe conservatism, the kind of conservat- ism that appeals to rational thoughtful people. The political word or phrase that properly describes MT. Underwood's s qual- ity has not yet been coined. It is the quality of thought and temperament that must and will finally survive after the pendulum now swinging from reactionary conservatism to ultra progressivism finds it's normal pose.
 The reactionary believes that nothing should be changed. that things as They are are good enough. The ultra progress sive contends that everything is wrong and that the house should be cleaned from cellar to attic in one day.
 Underwood Type
 The conservative progressive, or the Underwood type of thought, would clean the house, but would not disrupt and de- moraflze the inmates while it is being done. They would go about it in an or derly fashion with common sense ana req son.
 Roosevelt's nomination would demand the nomination of man like Underwood on the democratic ticket
 The democratic party has been out in the wilderness worshipping strange idols long enough. Its principles represent the conservative. sane thought of the coun- try. While it has not always lived up to it's fundamental principles in it's frantic efforts to secure power. it now has the opportunity to redeem itself of all its past folly.