The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-03
A ROOSEVELT DELEGATE.

Among the few of the 30 delegates
tional convention whom the managers
of the Taft campaign concede to Col.
| Roosevelt is William Z. Ward, the Re
publican national committeeman from
the empire state. Some of the other
New York delegates for Mr.. Roose-
Welt come from Mr.. Wards bailiwick.
And if any of the New York delegates
| were chosen by the dictaticn of
| bosses" it can be set down as a surety
that Mr.. Ward and his friends who
are supporting the Roosevelt candidacy
are among them. For this sarne Ward
is the acme of perfection in the politi-
cal boss line He has been the Repuh
lican boss Of Westchester county, n.
Y, and some of the surrounding coun-
ties for many years. As Republican ma
tional committeeman from New York
he is the creature of the identical po-
Iitical machine that Mr.. Roosevelt and
his friends are now finding so much
fault with. But such a politician, sucn
q political boss, is perfectly acceptable
to Mr.. Roosevelt and his managers
as a delegate to the national conven-
ton, regardless of the fact that ne
may have dictated his own selection
1t is only when delegates chosen in the
same way are favorable to President
Taft that MI Roosevelt and his MAN.
ayers cry fraud and indecent poll
ties
Nor is it likely that the support MI
Ward is giving to Colonel RooseVeii
comes from the bottom of his heart
1t is not that he loves Mr.. Roosevelt
more but that he loves Mr.. Taft less.
The real reason why Mr.. Ward is IN
friendly to Mr.. Taft may always BE-
a secret. Mr. Ward is one of the few
silent politicia ms ir the world. He sell
dom has anything to say within ear
hot of the newspapers. But one of the !
stories going the political rounds as
to why Mr.. Ward Joined the opposition
to President Taft is that he was any |
thing but pleased with Mr.. Taft's dis |
pensation OF federal patronage in New |
York state. and particularly with the
appointment of Billy Loeb to the col
lectorship of the Port of New York.
When Mr., Taft first rubbed the fur !
the wrong way on Colonel Roosevelt 8
back by refusing to appoint Loeb 10
4 seat in his cabinet, he hunted around
for n lucrative berth for Mr.. Roose-
velt's man Friday. The cOllectorsnlp
of the Port of New York was the best
thing in sight and this went to Loeb.
This collectorship has always been a
big cog in the main wheel of the Re-
publican machine in New York state.
The collector has many jobs to fill at
fairly fat salaries. It has generally
been given to a man strong in party
councils and of considerable political
prestige. Loeb did not I'LL the bill in
any of these particulars. He never had
anv policica, following or strength i'll
New York state. And the story is that
National Committeeman Ward got so
pecved over the appointment of Loeb
to the conectorship that he immediate
" put Mr.. Taft on his blacklist and
las kept him there. That's Wards
way. 1t is rule or ruin with him. Maybe
this story has nothing to do with the
break between Ward and Taft. 1t may
nave been manufactured out OF whole
cloth by some vicious enemies of Mr..
Ward.
But whatever caused the break, there |
Aas one at the very beginning Of The
Taft administration. That is why Ward
s fighting in the Roosevelt ranks il
New York, and fighting with the same {
machine weapons that he has used ever '
since he has been in the political arena, :
which in many years. And Roosevelt and
MS managers are simply delighted to
welcome Ward and his machine netn- 3,
DDS to their camp with open arms. /