The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-08-22

, ID Republican states with 1862 electo-
| raj votes from the Republican to the
Democratic column, with loss to the
| Republican party of something like
2,Q90,32O votes. early in his ADM i'm
, istration he made the further mistake
Of giving an order making persona
non grata in the departments Pro-
gressive Republicans in Congress. and
then withdrew after the Republican
losses Of 1910 with an admission Of
i its folly.
Demand for ROosevelt's Nomination.
| With such a record the Progressive
Republicans Of the country reached
the conclusion that unless they could
secure control Of the Republican Par
, ty and nominate a Progressive the
Democrats would win the presidential
election in 1912. During the latter
part OF 1911 the Progressives met in
conferF nee at Chicago and Endorsed
Senator Robert M. La Toilette as their
candidate for the Republican presi-
Dental nomination. Senator La Fol-
lette began his campaign and after
several months it appeared that unless
another Progressive was brought for
ward President Taft would be renom-
mated with consummate . ease A
countrywide demand through six Re-
publican governors was presented to
Colonel Roosevelt and he entered for
the nomination with reluctance. The
campaign at once took on new aspects
and the two leading candidates began
what has turned out to be a finish
fight.
Importance Of Negro Voter.
In at least dozen Republican
states the Negro voter is not only the
balance Of power between the two
:, great parties, but is a very important
and decisive factor in the Republican
t Party. In such a contest the eyes Of
, the country were turned toward the
colorcd citizen. His attitude in this
contest more than vindicates his citi-
zenship and is believed to have much
{ bearing upon the future civil status of
the American Negro. The average
, Negro voter threw off the leadership
E OF the official Negro adviser and lined
up with the advanced and Progressive
| forces Of his party and his country.
. His action therefore in view of what
happened at Chicago is decidedly i'm
, portant and significant
Both Colonel Roosevelt and Presi-
3 dent Taft had Negro policies. Both
were president and the issues of the
}preconVention campaign turned chiefly
on tleir official records and their atti-
tude toward the Progressive Move
: ment and the Negro race.
The Example of Illinois Presidential
: Primaries,
In the beginning of the campaign
= Colonel Roosevelt announced his will
: !ngness to abide by the will of the
| people as expressed in a popular and
, fair primary. President Taft through
s mis- supporters resisted the primary
2 where it was not already established
I by law and in number Of states pre-
= vented amy expression of the will of
| the people. He failed, however, in IL
J, hno!s where Colonel RoosevcltG
friends obtained a presidential pri-
: mary law. Here the active campaign
opened with Senator La Toilette, Pres
ldCnt Taft and Colonel Roo: evelt al
, speaking in tle state. Colonel Roose-
welt defeated President Taft in iii
nois more than two to Cle with a plu-
,Tality Of 1874 1876 and with 121 ,744
more votes tQan Taft and La Toilette
combined. The good example set by
Illinois was followed with varying
;majorities by Pennsylvania, Ohio, New
| Jersey, California and all the primary
states except Massachusetts, where
, Roosevelt delegates won by 1000 and
Taft was declared to be the preference
by less than 1000, resulting in each
getting the same number of votes from
that state 1t would seem that any
man who had the least regard for the
wishes or welfare Of the people would
have listened to the overwhelming
voice of these primaries asking Presi-
dent Taft to retire.
Taft and Roosevelt on Brownsville.
The defeats in Illinois and Pennsyl-
vania were so humiliating that Presi-
dent Taft sought in Ohio to ALLEVIATE
the Negro vote. from Colonel Rooso-
welt by parading the Brownsville III
cjdcnt in connection with some of the
discharged soldiers. Colonel Roose-
welt promptly closed this feature Of