The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-05-20
OHIO VERY CLOSE, WITH
|. THE ODDS ON ROOSEVELT
Delegation to Chicago COmven-
tion Likely TO BE Split
About Evenly.
TAFT GAINING STRENGTH
Tour Of State Has Helped His
Cause-OppOsitiOn Joins
Against Harmon.
TAFT GAINING STRENGTH

! WA VIM -. ollO. WIN O1IN
one more day Of the Roosevelt Taft
campaign remaining. tho Indications are
that the contest at the primaries will he
very close.
| II looks as il Ohio's forty eight defe-
gates To the Chicago convention are to
be divided about equally between Taft
and Roosevelt. with the odds favoring
| Roosevelt
The conditions surrounding he con-
/ test are, however. so extraordinary that
even the most eyperien cod Ohio polit-
ica observers acknow ledge that they are
at sac in attempting a definite forecast.
Some of the Taft managers will tell
YOU confidentially that they are expect
ing the Presiden. to get 20 of the ~ dele
gates. but for publication they are max
! ing the usual sweeping anie-elect ion
claims. The fact il, though. tho Presi-
| dents friends will regard him a. for
tGnate If he breaks even with Roosevelt
| in the Ohio figlh
splitting Of the Ohio delegation on
fairly even terms would have the effect
Of prolonging the fight bet ween the Pres;-
dent and Col. Roosevelt and would centre
| the efforts Of both on the New Jersey
primaries on Mag rs
! Col Roosevelt. in order to make the
Ohio contest decisive n between himself
and Taft will have TO win an impressive
, victory. FOR the Colonel's managers are
counting more on the psychological effect
of victory in Ohio than they ore on
the act ual capture Of the Buckevp State
delegates The Colonel and his liou,en-
ants desire. through sweeping Ohio
| victory. 10 complete the -hattering Of
! confidence in Taft's candidacy and thus
open the way for swinging Of the south
ern delegates and other delegates pledged
10 Taft to the Roosevelt column Tarts
managers cont end on the other hand.
that with even half of the Ohio delegation
to his credit the Presidents nomination
will he assured
The Roosevelt managers themselves
are clearly uncertain AS To what is going
to happen in Ohio. The believe the Col
onel Is going Ia make as impr essivc
n showing here a. he did in Illinois b,i,
they are no; making any predictions
If the colonel does sweep IN" State as
he did Illinois IL is acknowledged on all
sides that President 1aft's denomination
VIII he impossible The character Of Col
Roosevelt speeches in the last two OF
,fhro" DAYS. IN which ne has threatened
bolt IT he Isn't nomina, ed. indicates in
the opinion Of many Republicans here.
fear On the tCirnsls par Of the outcome
IN Ohio.
The condition. confronting the poll
t.cans IN this Ohio contest are the most
confusing they have had TO deal with in
years. In the fire, place this il Ohio.
first experience in choosing dis,ric, dele
gates 10 a national convention by primary.
Their" is no Presidential preference ex-
preston law IN Ohio. ard the ballots to
u" T"t",! IN Tuesdays primary will con-
'an NOT only IN" names of the candidate.
for delegates to the national convention
and to ~" State convention. but the
names "f candidates for local Offices.
Tho candidates for delegates have an
nounc"d their Pres dental preferences
i,.t thor" will b. nothing on the ballots
to indicate whether they are Taf, or
Roosevelt men. Tic voter will have TO
marx n cross before each candidate for
whom he votes.
Col Roosevelt has declared publicIy
that II was only This lack "f opportunity
10 eNprcss "A Presidential preference ha.
gives him any concern as u the resu,
III Ohio.
The extraordinary character ~ the
camraian with the prerident Of the
Inr"d states and the only living o..
President stUmping tho Sta'e. not 70
W. r,.,vN . h,,,
contribute ~ the confusion Of the rc,i.
texans. who arc trying to get n definite
In" on what is going 10 hapyrn in Tues.
days primary.
several things in regard to the Ohio
-tusl ion, however. are certain. Ono is
tnat III" reciprocity Issue is the biggest
handi"Gp 10 the Taft Canddacy ~ this
contest. Although this issue is dead. the
feeling Of many Ohio farmers is still
intense" and the prospects arc tha, Taft
is going 10 suffer in many farming com.
munitic,
he farmer vote in Ohio is .arre. rep
rescn'ing, Il is estimated. be,wecn 20
and 81 per cent Of the total vote. and ,h,,
feature o' the situation is tonight giving
IN" Pres dsnt = managers more concern
than any Other
Reports thai have becn received in
Columbus indicate tina, tho Pres tlent has
helped his cause by his speeches on reci.
procity IN many districts in the las. two
or three days, hut the dsafrect ion is Still
serious
Ne't 10 the reciprocity issue the Taft
Administration suits under the Sher-
man antitrust law seem To be the most
f"rious menace to the President chances
in Ohio In the Sevent eenth Eighteenth
and Nineteenth districts. which include
YOUNGSTOWN and part of the State along
th" Ohio River. there are big steel mills
several Of them subsidiaries OF the United
states Steel Corporation. Most Of the EN-.
ploye"S in these mills are fo- Roosevelt
and these three districts will bo carried
hY the Colonel Some Republicans have
charged that the steel trust officials are
secretly work ing against Taft in these
districts.
Then also the antitrust litigation
figures seriously in the Third or DAYTON.
district The Federal Government only
recently began suit under the sherman
law for tho dissolution OF the National