The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-04

istration protest In North Dakota.
where 10 of these came from, the
race was between Roosevelt and La
Toilette, Mr.. Taft getting hardly one
twentieth of the Republican vote
cast. AS evidence of the Presidents
lack Of popular strength appear near
" the entire block Of states from the
Alleghanies to the foothills of the
Rockies.
Taft's weakness has appeared in
approximate proportion to the direct
ness with which the rank and file
have been able to get at him. Wher-
ever the old.fashioned organization
has retained things comfortably in
hand he has the delegates. Where
yer a considerable dash of popularity |
has invaded the system he has usual
ly divided results with Roosevelt; |
wherever the device has been wholly !
popular, as in Massachusetts, Ne
braska, Oregon and Illinois, he has |
rarely shown affirmative strength. |
This means that he is not the "popu- |
lar primary" kind of a man.
The coming Republican national
convention stands a large chance OF
being national committee conven-
ton. There are such conventions.
No more significant piece Of news
has come over the wires in days
than the announcement that the ma
tional committee would meet a
week earlier than had been schedul-
ed, or on June 3, to take up the task
of organization While its members
would not today know their own
mind. They will at the right time 90
able TO do so
And that is why the outlook de-
ponds on essentially metaphysical
considerations How Is such a line
up of delegates as that set for as
Stunning that its character does not
greatly change in the weeks that re-
main-to affect the minds of the ma
tional committeeman?
| Two courses Of action are open TO
them. They can 90 ahead aud nomi-
nate Taft, if they want to. He has
nearly enough votes for that purpose
now, and reasonably sure to get the
requisite additions Why. then,
should his nomination be in doub,?
Because they may decide to bend TO
the storm. They may say that while
dislikng Roosevelt they are not dis
posed to stand out against the mani.
fest inclination of Republican voters
OF the country. And they render
one of these replies or the other
when they make up the conventions
temporary roll.
Nobody can be sure how the Ma
tional committee is going to feel on
June 3. They do not know them
selves. But they will be very close
students of the intervening events
AS a body these committeeman want
the Republican party to succeed in
November With its fortunes they
are personally united by every con
ceivable tie OF tradition and aspira-
ton They have dependents in fed
eral Offices Their friends may have
tariff schedules contingent on con
, tnuance OF Republican rule.
And the National committeeman
are playing the game" II is their
party. AS party men they have at
p least a common enemy.
, No vote put to the National Com
mlttee on June as to places on the
, temporary roll will amount to a
, question whether il wants Roosevelt
! nominated 1t may be whether Il
dislikes him enough to risk the par
: TVS defeat by refusing to let him
, have the nomination Roosevelts
strength is steadily lessening Tafrs
: availability. For the committee TO
! decide the dispute regularly In Tafts
] favor, even though that be unQues
tionably just, would anger the Roose
welt element to degree which
(. would dead to serious detection in
November, Roosevelt men would
+ say: You can have your candidate
. but you cant elect him.
. The terms under which Tafts nom
!. nation comes to him, Il at all, thus
. have much to do with the chances
O. OF his candidacy in November Sup
i. pose the National committee secs nc
way of saving the convention foi
# Taft except by a series of decisions
. which would inevitably send Roose
. velts adherents out In instruction
o. what Is the committee TO do? How
far will It., consistent with It's desir,
q for party success. be willing to go
q There is where the metaphysics com,
9 in. since either side can give the
!. other plenty of plausible grounds o
contests
/. The possibility OF third or com
n. promise, candidate will receive NOR,
n attention in the newspapers from thi
e. time forth than it is likely to deserve
~ The on-lookng world is bound to dis
y cuss IT, It looks reasonable, espec
. tally with those i6 votes But prac
i. tically, the shift would now be at
tended with difficulty Could IN,
n Taft management transfer thei
4. southern delegates from one cage L
is another without their flying into tn
Is Roosevelt coop?
10 These choice spirits must be har
n died with exceeding care. Whateve
,r OF a pessimistic note. from the TAT
40 point of view, this review shelters.
largely due to the confessedly unsul
n stantial character of this element q
"a Tafts support The Southern dell
- gates are bread and butter brigade
They want to hold federal offices, q