The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-08-15
LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

The most significant thing about
the National Campaign in it's early
stages is the fact that hundreds OF
thousands of republicans, who never
| before voted the democratic ticket,
have voluntarily written Governor
Wilson that they intend this year to
vote the democratic ticket.
Some days ago, when in Indian
apolis, Governor Marshall told me
that since the convention he had
been deluged with letters Of congrat-
ulation and voluntary pledges OF
support, and that more than twenty
five per cent of his correspondents
stated that they were republicans,
but they thought the time had come
for change in the national adminst-
tration, and that they intended to
support the ticket nominated at
Baltimore.
The special newspaper articles
published, containing a few extracts
, from letters written to Governor
/ Wilson at Sea Grit, show that the
views of the correspondents of the
candidate for President duplicate
those of the candidate for Vice.
President, and that very large
proportion of the letters Offering
support are from republicans.
The correspondence that comes to
Chairman McCombs and the Demo-
cratic Headquarters in New York is
OF the same tenor and it comes from
all parts Of the country, showing
that the democratic candidates ap-
peal both to the popular imagination
and to the popular confidence; and
that, while the democrats are united
in the support Of the democratic
ticket, as never before in the life
of the younger men of the party,
and the Independent vote is almost
solid for Wilson and Marshall, there
is a break in the republican vote,
heretofore unknown in the history of
that party. In 1896 there was
bolt in the republican party of the
Silver Republicans, but that bolt did
not appreciably affect any state east
OF the Mississippi river and as the
result showed was not large enough
to change the result in any state
west of the Mississippi, with few ex-
ceptions.
This year the republican party is
split and republicans will divide be-
tween Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Roosevelt,
that is, those who intend to vote for
Wilson and Marshall; and there are.
many, who, while preferring not
openly to join the democratic organ
ization, will furnish a vote which,
added to the democratic vote of 1908
will put the democratic candidates
in the White House.
Republicans for Wilson,"
Last week the editor of the New
\ ork F'reSs sent private letters 10
republican voters, selected at ran
com from readers on it's mail SUBJ
scriptjon lists and not living III New
York City or other large cities. The
main part Of the letter was:
For Hliich OF the following do |
you intend to vote: Taft, Wilson,
Roosevelt?
Are vnL in favor 81 the plan pro-
posed bv the former President of
breaking up the present repub lean
party and forming a new one? For |
whom cid you vote in 1908?
"Of the 1000 first replying VII
tnally all voted for Mr.. Taft four
years ago. OF the 1000 replying
442 said they would vote for NJ.
Taft this year, 335 for Mr.. Roose-
welt, 132 fer Mr.. Wilson and 81 said
they would not vote at all or were
undecided.
Most of those declaring they
would vote for Mr.. Wilson gave as
their reason their disgust with re-
publican factionalism. Some were
voting for him as the surest way, in
their Judgment, to defeat the Colonel
and prevent him from breaking up
the republican party. Some of those
In the not-NDting class said they
might vote for Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Will
son if it became necessary, in their
Judgment, to do this to prevent the
Colonel from breaking up their
party. Some of those recording
themselves for Mr.. Taft lamented his
but would vote for him
to prevent the Colonel from break
ing up their party.
I'VE arrange these 1000 voters in
table: