The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-24
TAFT SUPPORT WEAKENS AND
WASHINGTON FEARS FOR Him

Washington, ID. c., Jan. 24.-The
week just closed has been notable
one from the standpoint OF national
politics, and It is admitted on all
sides that 1t leaves the Taft admins
tration weaker than ever before.
Postmaster General HitchcoclSs de-
claration for government ownership
of telegraphs was the opening sensa-
tion Of the week and II has remained
| = topic of conversation ever since. It
Is now openly charged that the fric-
tlon between the Postmaster General
and Private Secretary Hlllcs has be-
come so acute that one or the other
vii be compelled to sever connection
with the president. Mr.. Hitchcock
has studiously remained in the back
ground, permitting speculation to run
It's course. The belief is growing.
however, that Htchcock's retirement
would so effectually shatter the adj
|ministration hopes Of southern dele
gates that the presidents showing in
the convention would he humilatmg
Hitchcock's control of certain of the
delegations Is known to he absolute
hence the embarrassment confronting
the president in dealing with what
his friends declare to be a case OF
INSTRUMENTATION.
While the administration was wor-
rying about the Hitchcock Incident
the political situation I'm West Vir-
ginia came TO the front i'm a manner
which caused the administration grave
concern. Governor Glasscuck of that
state came out with a statement that
made II perfectly clear that his state
was not so much i'm favor of Taft as
the country had been led to believe
and he expressed the opinion. In fact,
that the delegates would not be for
the president. This statement caused
the press department Of the admin.
hstratlon TO lscurry around for the
purpose Of getting statements which
would counter-act the Gasscock SEN
sation. Several pro- raft statements
were handed to the press by the ad-
ministratlon's press representatives,
but disinterested citizens of West
Virginia in Washington admitted that
the president cannot possibly get an
instructed delegation from that state.
The administration is also con-
frdnted with definite opposition in
New Jersey where plans are being
perfected to prevent him from getting
a single delegate from that state.
North Dakota Republicans, during
the week, went on record in no un-
certain terms in their endorsement of
Senator La Toilette as their candidate
for the presidency. The significance
OF this action Is to be found in the
fact that North Dakota will be the
first state in the union where the
voters will have an opportunity TO ex-
press their choice for the presidency.
The Republican convention clearly in
dicted that Senator La Toilette is the
fdvorite The next step will be the
primaries in March, at which time
Senator La Toilette Is certain to be
selected by North Dakota Republicans
as their choice for president The
moral influence of such an endorse
mCnt cannot be over estimated Sena-
tor La Toilette will start off in the
lead In the presidential race and pres
ent indications are that the other
states which follow with their presl- |
Dental primaries win endorse the Wis |
c0nsin senator
Followers Of President Taft have |
sought to create the impression that !
nothing could deprive him Of solid |
delegation from PENNSYLVANIA in the |
next Republican national convention,
They have been counting on the two !