The Washington times., 1912-05-02
MARYLAND SURE
|, FOR ROOSEVELT,
N SAY SUPPORTERS
Expected to Line Up With
Pennsylvania and Bay
State.
CONTINUED from First Page. !

10 IL with the most extreme StrictneEs.
He acted Immediately, and released
the delegates at-large to President Taft
II cannot be questioned that in SO do
Ing he was going much farther thai
the law required him to. That he could
have insisted OIL the delegates-at-largo
being bound to him with perfect pro-
priety, judged by the usual political
standards, there is no doubt
Had the Taft forces gained the dele
gates-at-large in the same fashion that
Colonel Roosevelt got them what would
have happened?
The stronG-arm methods of the Taft
leaders in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan,
and elsewhere, their work in the South,
their attempts to override the popular
will in Missouri, are sufficient an
swer They would have insisted on
holding these delegates by hook or
crook.
Will Strengthen Roosevelt.
Director Mckinley and the men around
him are incapable of understanding the
course of action taken by Roosevelt.
course of action dictated by regard for
the principle of the primary. That
Roosevelt will be strengthened in the
country generally by his action cannot
be doubted. From the outset of his
campaign he has insisted on letting the
people decide who they wanted for the
Republican nominee. That his willing
ness to abide by what seems the popular
decision In Massachusetts, will be ap-
proved by the country generally Is not
to be doubted.
HIS attitude In this respect is in
striking contrast with the refusals of
the Taft leaders to sanction the idea of
the Presidential primary. These re-
nj he
time the Republican national committee
met here last January. At that time the
Taft leaders tried to block the adoption
sible. They yielded to 1t in States where
81 was established by law simply be-
cause 1t was impossible to do, otherwise.
l Anyone with memory cannot fail
% recall at this time how the Illinois
senatorial primary. that preceded the
felecticn Of William Lorimer to the
Senate, was disregarded and how A.
J: Hopkins: the primary choice was
[one fail to remember that Congress
man Mckinley. now director of the
Taft campaign, is one Of Lorimer's
stanch adherents.
! But striking as Is the action Of Col
onel Roosevelt in refusing to avail
himself of the delegates at-large in
Massachusetts, the course taken by
the delegates themselves Is
none the less striking. These men
have conferred and have decided not
Ito take any joint action on the atti-
tude of Colonel Roosevelt in releasing
them from obligation to vote for him.
Instead, they will leave each delegate
at-large free to vote as he sees fit.
But regardless of their release, the
disposition of all the delegates-at-
Statement by Hale.
Chairman Matthew Hale of the
Roosevelt committee has issued the
following statement:
''In view OF the complicated political
conditions following our State primary,
I decided to call meeting of the eight
delegates-at-large, to discuss the situa-
tion. l had not then heard anything
about Colonel Roosevelt's statement re-
garding the delegates-at-large. The
delegates who assembled here. l believe,
saw the newspaper accounts OF the
with the knowledge on the part of
each delegate that he had been fairly
and squarely elected by large ma
jority over the Taft delegates 1t was
! the unanimous opinion that they should
Consequently joint statement to this
effect was signed by each delegate
present.
Later in the day, and after carefully
I considering the position so forcefully
taken by Colonel Roosevelt, the situa-
tIa ton was again talked over with the
|
joint action, but to rescind their agree
ment and leave each individual dele
gate free to determine for himself his
responsibility to his constituents. and
. Since then each delegate-a-large has
declared his intention to support Roose-
welt, regardless OF the release which Mr..
Roosevelt has given.
Delegates for Roosevelt.
AS the situation stands therefore,
Roosevelt will have the eight delegates
at-large and at least ten of the district
delegates. He will have at least eight
{ cen of the thirty-six delegates in Massa-
chusetts.
President Taft's majority on the
Presidential preference ballot was 1855.
SsanSst s s e fOr Ssssesf sGs eahe
A recount will be asked by Roosevelt
followers in the Eighth Massa chusetts
district. while Taft men will ask one in
the Ninth on account of the closeness
i OF the vote.
That the outcome In Massa chusetts.
As whole, was in reality Roosevelt
Taft could not Win in Massachusetts,
with Senator Crane bending all his en-
erdes for him. with Senator Lodge not
Working for Roosevelt. and with the
expenditure of unlimited money against
Roosevelt, his grip on the State is not
strong. Roosevelt leaders. from Senator
Dixon down, declare that the outcome
In Massachusetts will be accepted the
country over as a defeat for the Presi-
dent.
How Methods Differ.
most interesting commentary on the
methods of the Taft leaders as COM
pared with Roosevelt's. is seen in a dis
patch from Boston today. From this
1t appears that the Taft leaders, sur
prised over Roosevelt's release of dele
Gates-at-large. then, sore al the deterIni-
nation OF the delegates-at-large to ex-
ercise their individual will and vote for
Roosevelt anyhow, are bent on using
strong-arm methods to shut these men
out at Chicago.
. The following is a dispatch from Bos-
ton today:
I'The eight delegates-at-Iarge, elected
in the Massachusetts, preference prim-
ary and pledged to vote for Theodore
Roosevelt, will vote according to their
personal inclinations when convention
time comes around, according to today )
Developments in the tangled political
situation In the Bay State.
Former President Roosevelt has re-
leased the big eight after learning
the result OF the preference vote, bur
Charles 8. Baxter, who led the Roose-
Welt slate. declared, I have always been
a Roosevelt man, and still am and