The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-05-24
KEEN INTEREST is
| MANIFESTED |N.THE
RACE FOR NOMINEE
COMPROMISE MAN BELIEVED TO
BE THE PURPOSE OF THE
REPUBLICANS.
HUGHES MAY ENTER CONTEST
All Candidates Have Headquarters
IN Washington and Democrats Are
Unable to Explain the Runaway
Race Set by Speaker Clark.

Unable to Explain the Runaway
Race Set by Speaker Clark.
WASHINGTON, May 17.-Theye is
a well defined movement in the re-
publican party which is gaining head
way every day to bring about the
nomination Of a compromise candi-
date at Chicago next month. J: Is
based upon the belief that neither
President Taft nor Theodore Rose
welt can be elected president after
the terrible fight which each has
made on the other. The movement
only awaits the result of the presi-
Dental primaries In Ohio next week
to come into the open. But 1t ap-
pears to be the result Of desperation.
A side light was shed on this sit
uation today by the Roosevelt head
Quarters here. In a statement charg-
ing President Taft with having stol-
en- the Chicago delegates from Wash
ington state, Roosevelt managers
said the president had first offered
to divide the delegation from that
state with Mr.. Roosevelt and had lat
er offered to aid in having 1t instruct
ed for Justice Hughes, of the SUI
preme court.
Justice Hughes is the only man
who has been seriously mentioned
thus far as a possible compromise
candidate. It is known that within
the past few weeks politicians friend
ly to President Taft have consulted
Justice Hughes as to his willingness
to accept the nomination. His reply
has always been the same, namely,
mat under no circumstances will he
permit his name to be used 90 long
as President Taft is a candidate.
But there is the rub. Representa-
tive William M Calder, Of New York
City, Republican leader of that city
and the only Republican who was
saJed in the Democratic landslide
that swept New York two years ago,
Is a strong Taft man. He said today
soiennly and with a shake Of the
ho& I'D
must come from the Roosevelt men,
because If President Taft's friends
allowed it to be noised abroad that
the President was willing to step out
of the race the bulk of the Taft
strength would go to Mr.. Roosevelt
Mr. Calder said he felt certain, in
deed that he knew that to be the
case in New York State.
It appears, therefore, to the i'm
partial observer that the chance Of
compromise at Chicago is very
slim indeed. The Roosevelt men in
Congress are jubilant over his rapid
gains wherever primaries have been
held
Evidently, taking their cue from
their leader, they every day darkly
lnsinuate that this Is fight for
principle and is bigger than party
night, They never suggest a COM
promise candidate. Mr. Roosevelt
seems to be the principle they are
nshtlng for, They add that Mr.. Taft
must be beaten at all hazards. On
the other hand, the anti-Roosevelt
men, many of whom are not neces-
sally Taft men, are determined not
10 lend their support to Mr.. Roose-
Welt either before or after the Chi
case convention.
II sherp contrast to the wrang-
Ing OF the Republicans is the keen
Out orderly rivalry of the Democra-
VI candidates, all of whom have
Weil headquarters In this city, A
strange thing has happened in the
democratic race. A month ago, the
supporters of Gov. Wilson were
scouting that Speaker Clark, Repre-
sentative Underwood, Gov. Harmon
and others in the field had combined
against the New Jersey Governor,
because they realized he was by far
the strongest candidate with the peo-
PIE and that 1t would take their
combined strength to beat him in
Baltimore.