The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-05

INDICATIONS OF TAFT ANXIETY.
There are many things in evidence
which provo that President Taft is
beginning to realize nat the Repub-
lican nomination is not his for the
demanding. one Of the most inter-
csting ones is his change Of policy
toward the newspapers. 1t may not
be generally known to the lay reader
that copies of public speeches are
procured by n~cwsgathcring agencies
like the Associated Press and mailed
to the newspapers in advance sub
icct to whatever changes are later
made in the text and to he used then
released in the telegraph report to
the paper. This is lone to avoid the
otherwise almost prohibitive cost of
transmitting the speeches by wire
and the impossihility of getting them
into type without delay by the papers.
Public men who have consideration
for public opinion. always prepare
copies OF important addresses in this
name for the public.
President Taft has been a notable
exception. Fills public addresses even
in his official capacity have never
been given to the press in advance,
and his messages to congress have
often had to be transmitted by wire.
When he made his western our last
fall not a copy of his addresses were
given to the news agencies and is a
result. the public at large knew little
OF what he said.
Whom he started on his recent
campaign tour through Ohio Il few
days ago every paper in the country
had copies Of his addresses several
days in advance. The reason for this
change in policy lies in the fact that
the president has begun to realize
that public sentiment is the real pow
er in a republic. He is scared. SO
long as no danger threatened his re-
nomination, he cared nothing. Those
who think the president is without
shrewd political advice are mistaken.
His machine includes pastmasters in
the art, as witness Senators Penrose
II Lodge. They were not mistaken.
They were able to accurately measure
the strength of Senator LaFollette
n they knew hat at his best he
would have less thar a third Of the
delegates to the national convention.
The political advisers Of the presi-
dent were justified in assuring him
that his nomination was assured. II
was.
Less thar w months z Theo-
dore Roosevelt was suggested as Il
candidate. Immediately the presi-
dents advisers saw danger. Within
ton days after the Roosevelt move
mcnt was started. they sought to
have the New York delegation in
structed for Taft, the president him
self making a trip to New York to
accomplish the purpose. While the
New FORK leaders were not zealou.
for Roosevelt, they preferred him ia
Taft n the plan to have an in
structed Taft delegation fell fiat.
Then came the DETECTION in West
Virginia following one which was
growing in Michigan and which was
augmented by those in New jersey.
Pennsylvania. Kansas Missouri and
North Dakota.
1T was a machine, not very sub
s~tantially built, it is true. supplement-
ed with the presidential patronage,
against the popular demand of the
people. The machine worked silent
ly and the offceholders We're to see
that Taft delegates are named
and instructed. But the confidence
in Theodore Roosevelt was so great
that even Taft's managers saw that
they. too, must reach the public or
be crowded off the sidewalk. That is
why the president has changed his
policy of catering to the
instead of ignoring them as formerly.
1T is the best evidence possible that
the Taft managers are scared.
There are some Republicans in
North Dakota who believe that the
Roosevelt movement is in the inter-
ests of Taft, just. how they are un-
able to explain. Truth is, this i'm
preston cones from the fact that
/ some of the states and parts Of states
that We're for Senator IaFollette be-
fore the Roosevelt movement was
started are Joining in it. Instead of
indicating a condition favorable to
Taft, this proves that realizing the
tmpossibi]ity of nominating LaFollet-
tie these sections intend to use their
power to help defeat him, by joining
forces with those sections which
have left Taft and gone to Roosevelt.
We do not assert. but the logic of the
situation proves the reverse. All tho
LaFollette strength that can be kept
from Roosevelt helps Taft. because at
the best LaFollette ran not be NOM
mated. and the votes held to him and
away from Roosevelt might allow
Taft to win. This logic is ba sed on
a condition which we do not admit
for a will exist. for unless
things change and the Roosevelt sup
porters become o~verconfident or ne
glectful. he will have a big majority
of the delegates when the convention
assemblies. But it is rather signifi.
can't that in the Taft strongholds of
h east the Roosevelt movement is
held up as IL menace to Taft and in
h l-aFollette strOngholds of the west
1t Is held up as a menace to LaFol-
letee. The only n who can profit
by this d~oubleheaded logic is the
president.
nrIEs CIDUcuc ny u,~nrv-~