New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
From The Tribune Bureau l


HITTING BELOW THE BEI.T-The fire.
quency with which those opposed to the re-
| nomination of President Taft are "bittng
below the belt affords of itself pretty
strlklng evidence OF their realization OF the
growing strength of the President and their
increasing fear OF his nomination. Ameri-
cans generally are devotees of fair play,
and even soreheads and disgruntled politi-
clans do not resort to fouls except when
they are desperate. The latest instance of
the unfair politics which the insurgents are
resorting to is the wilful MISREPRESENTATION
of Representative Mckinley and of the
friends OF the President who are establish
Ing headquarters in this city. For instance.
IT is asserted that Senator Penrose and
Speaker Cannon are participating In the
control and management of these head
quarters and constitute an active part Of
the Taft campaign management, and from
these wholly false assertions is drawn the
deduction that the President has gone over
TO the old guard" IL would be about as
truthful to assert that Mr. Taft had con-
nded the management of his campaign to
Rameses | as to say that he had confded
IL TO Mr.. Cannon, and the aforesaid historic
character would doubtless render just as
active and useful service as the former
Speaker. Equally misleading is the asser-
tion that Senator Penrose is to share in the
control of the campaign. Mr.. Pcnrose is
interested in the success of Mr.. Taft, pre-
cisely as are the large majority of Repub-
lican Senators. but no more so than any
other regular Republican In the upper house.
The insurgent press agents are also charg-
ing that no insurgents arc permitted TO
share in the direction Of the Presidents
campaign This also is misIeading AS the
insurgents are seeking the nomination OF
some one other than the President, they
have not expressed any desire to share in
the management of a campaign for the
President. but there is room on the band
position to climb OH have received no re-
buff. 1t is. of course, easy to apply the
term old guard" 10 Mr.. Mckinley himself,
especially as he was not an inSurgent in
the House. but he has never been strIkingly
identified with the old guard faction and is
far more progressive than that term does
or is meant to indicate.
CLARK STOCK ROOMING.-Despite the
denunciation Of Speaker Champ Clark by
former mans vote against the Henry
money trust resolution, the friends Of the
Missourian are especially optimistic They
regard the withdrawal Of Ex-Governor Folk
as the first Of a series Of steps which will
throw the Democratic nomination to their
hero. Many Of them are convinced that
Governor Judson Harmon will withdraw
from the race ultimately and will ask his
friends to support the Pike County, states
man. They do not wish Mr.. Harmon to
withdraw at this time, as ne serves as
rallying point for the conservative Demo-
Gratis, but they believe he will perceive in
Cue time that he has not ghost of
show Of capturing two-thirds Of the dele
gates in the Democratic National Conven-
ton. and that. regarding Mr.. Clark as the
one available candidate who comes nearest
- his ideals of Democracy, he will throw
his entire strength to the Speaker, and that
this will come at time when il will give