The Washington herald., 1912-05-13
TT" CONFIDENT
OF NOMINATION
Colonel Claims 400 of the 7s2 Dele
gates Already Elected by
Different States.
WILL GET OTHERS, HE SAYS

oyster Bay. L L. May 12-coi. Roose-
frst ballot at Chicago,
No longer Is he In any doubt as to the
outcome Of the fght The former Presi-
dent counts up 100 delegates for himself
of the ia already elected. These include
some LIS now marked in the contested
columns
The Taft managers at washington give
the colonel ~ delegates up to date. as
against $50 for the President. Roosevelt
maintains that the Taft men are claim
ing a horde of delegates that they know
IN their hearts win vote for the Rough
Rider, although not openly committed.
The estimate Of to-day Is the hrst that
has come with the stamp Of authority.
The colonel is absolutely certain Of his
figures He has gone over the whole list
with Senator Dixon. He haS made allow
ances to Taft for all delegates in the
contested column that he feels any doubt
about Leaving q wide margin for the
Taft side he nnds 400 &Ngates that he
estimates may safely be counted upon Of
those already elected
As to setting the balance Of 40 dele
gates needed to capture the nomination
Roosevelt has no fear. While he would
not be quoted on II to-day II Is known
that he expects to carry on nearly all
Of the twenty-sIx California delegates.
With at least twenty-five delegates that
he thinks New York will throw him and
those Of Ohio and New Jersey. In which
States he anticipates getting two-thirds,
Roosevelt considers the nomination
"einched."
VIII Break Solid South.
Even II he fails to carry Ohio and
New Jersey the colonel is entirely salts
fed he will win at Chicago. He has
defnite hint Of the eagerness Of large
number Of Southern delegates ostensibly
for Taft who actually will line up
with the Roosevelt forces In Chicago.
That Is one thing that makes him
sanguine OF the nomination
zone Of the interesting things about
this whole hght," said the colonel to-
night. SIS that pot at any time have I
given the outcome the slightest heed.
I Ioathed getting into the night. II I had
consulted my own inclination I would
not have consented TO make the rum l
did care for Il in 1904. I wanted TO be
elected to round out my career as Presi-
dent. wanted the peoples approval
'It has been different in this fght-
went in because the progressives
wanted a leader, and they convinced me
was the one 10 nBnt Tor Ihem. IN TINS
campaign I have cared nothing for the
consequences"
The colonel reiterated what he said in
his North Carolina speeches. that II
he would try TO break the
solid Democratic South. His hardest
fight in the South would be in North
Carolina. Georgia, Arkansas and Texas.
where he considers IL possible to cut
down the Democratic strength and carry
or a majority OF votes
Sareasm for wiley.
IF I am nominated" Roosevelt said.
Il want to try TO establish the Repub-
licsn party in the South along different
lines. want 70 do away with the rot
ten borough system believe III srs is
opportunity OF building UP a strong
party there and want to try it"
The colonel commented upon letter
written by DR.. II. W. Wiley, recently
head OF the Department Of Chemistry,
made public by the Taft managers IN
San Francisco, In which he discredited
Col Roosevelt's assertion that he had
initiated the pure food crusade.
Everybody knows" said the colonel.
with asperity. that Brother Wiley has
written on every side Of everything"