The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-20

lOnGN : rOIiNf 1ltltH III lilis 'itS VIZ
its enthusiasm, its earncstncss and It's
determination, has done n great work
in pushing the candidacy of Theodore
Roosevelt for president. Men came
from the far western counties OF the
state to participate in the convention.
They represented hundreds of others
who had selected them in nany In
stances and in others they represent
ed a tremendous public opinion. The
convention was typical of the candi-
date i'm whose interests il was held
and the men who composed il were
worthy supporters of the greatest man
OF the present day in the world.
AS the Times has frequently pointed
out however, tn" work of tho con-
vcntion today ts only the beginning
of tho fight that must be made to ear
~ the state for Roosevelt. We know.
az does every ono familiar with tho
political situation. that a failure ITO
nominate Roosevelt means the noni-
nation of Taft. Til" sooner sentiment
IN this question is supplanted by facts.
tho better 1t will bc for those who
have the most interest in seeing Taft
defeated. A few months ago the
Times printed in this column an cs-
Innate OF the strength of Senator La
Toilette. giving him less than two
hundred and twenty-five delegates in
the national convention OF 1.o76 dele
gates. A couple of weeks after that
a I.aFollette newspaper of the middle
west gave what was claimed by it as
La Fo1lette's standing at mai time.
There was a difference of six votes In
~ A-vA a{,,otrr tI,n In riy,tr~
Senator Lalrollcttc that number more
than HIS own The six
were distributed among four states.
There was no particular political
wisdom in either Of the estimates.
Both were based or cold facts with
ont any emotional embellishments.
Tho one referred to was made after
that OF the Times, and the paper maxi
ing it certainly heard OF the
Times estimate. The conclusions
drawn were different. We said at
that time that LaFollettc's fight was
Vet to he won. h other said the
otc cited showed that LaFollett had
nearly enough assured votes to offset
:h" certain vote for Taft in the solid
south.
l;ut since then a change has taken
nlacc. Roosevelt was not a POSSIBLE
NY a: that time. Both estimates con-
coded Wisconsin and California to
TnI'ollette. Senator I.aI7ollette's OWN
congressional district has declared for
Taft, and yesterday Governor john
sol whose unparalleled election as
governor OF California shows that he
is tho idol Of the people Of his state.
left Senator LaFollctte and declared
for Roosevelt. That declaration
mcan that California with It's twenty
six votes will not be for LaF'ollette.
Kansas was largely conceded to La
Toilette in the estimates referred to.
and now Governor Stuhhs is rallylng
that state to the Roosevelt cause. The
same is true of Michigan. Nebraska,
South Dakota, Oregon and Washing
ton all of which states are alive with
R~ooseveltism We're given to LaFol-
lette in the estimates.
Now turn for n moment to the men
who have changed their allegiance.
Medill Mccormick with the Chicago
Tribune was working night and day
for LaFollette. He is now conduct
ing the Roosevelt campaign from the
national capital. Clifford Pinchot had
IiS " al Ollelte anu II
few weeks after thai time was speak
ing In LaFollette's campaign. He is
now for Roosevelt. Governor John
son. who had assured LaFollette that
California was his without an effort,
has declared himself for Roosevelt.
Governor Osborne of Michigan was
for LaFollette and is now serving on
the Roosevelt national committee.
Under these conditions. it Is hard
TO see wherein Senator LaFollettc has
made any gains over his strength Of
three months ago. 1t is easy to see
wherein he has lost. If he had less
than a fourth of the convention when
the estimates mentioned were made,
he has less than that proportion now.
Meanwhile. the things which are es-
sential to the defeat Of President Taft
a developed along other lines. The
Times stated in this column when il
announced its support Of Roosevelt
that IT. was essential to secure a can
didate before the convention who
could break the Taft support in the
east. That Is lust what Roosevelt is
doing. West Virginia., Ohio. Pennsyl-
vania. New York. Maine, New Jersey,
Indiana and Illinois have been broken
from the Taft moorings and are turn
ing t" Roosevelt. Why should the
west which is Rooscveltan by nature
not aid the rest of the country in max.
ing him president and assuring the
defeat of the candidate it least wants?
That is part of what the work of the
convention today will do IL the voters
ratify its work in the primary.
THEY. ARE STARVING.