The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-02
POLITICAL STATUS
At YEAR OPENING
Strenuous Campaign Ahead
for Candidates of Both
Parties.

"Aof1lN0lON, Jan. Zine 1OItl-
cal outlook for 1912 holds many and
greatly diversified possibilities. With
the greater campaigns since the organ.
1sation of the two great political par
ties. staged for the new year. leaders
OF various political organizations have
new and powerful force to reckon
with-the vote of the women. Since
the enfranchisement OF women in Cal
ifornia. 1t Is estimated more than l.
100000 OF the fair sex will have the
right to go to the polls and express
their choice of candidates in the COM
ing Presidential and Congressional ell.
ections.
When the influence these women
will bring to bear. not only on men,
bers OF their own sex. but on the male
voters of their families. is taken into
consideration, 1t is realized that the
women voter will play no small part
IN the coming campaign. And OF this
fact. leaders in the big political par.
ties arc cognizant. They already have
begun to devise plans to capture the
vote and influence of milady for her
candidates.
The new year promises to open with
some sensational developments. espec-
tally in the Republican Presidential
campaign. inasmuch as at least four
tical places as probable candidates to
be brought out by their followers. But
one meaning Is taken from this state
Of affairs. and that is that the opposi-
ton to President Taft within the par
ty Is framing plans for employing the
"favorite son" method OF holding out
enough delegations to prevent the
nomination OF President Taft
The first big event. however. in the
new year. will be the coming together
In Washington January 8 of the DEM
ocratic National Committee for the
purpose Of fixing the time and place
for holding the next national conven.
ton OF the party. The meeting will
start the political ball rolling and 1t
will gather speed and momentum as it
progresses toward election day next
November
The Republicans already have had
their national committee meeting and
have fixed on June Is as the time and
Chicago AZ the place where their ma
tional conclave will be held. The Dem
ocrats, 1t 10 expected. will assemble
in convention some time later. probab-
ly early in July. either at Baltimore or
st. Louis, according to present indi-
cations. More than half century has
elapsed since the Democrats held
their national convention in the Mary
land city, but now 1t seems to have
the call. although st. Louis is strong
competitor.
The Democrats are planning to fire
their first gun Of the campaign at the
meeting of the national committee and
to that end have arranged for a big
banquet at which leaders from all
parts of the country. including all Of
tho avowed candidates for the presi-
dency. have been invited to attend.
With one or two exceptions they will
all be here While the event is not
planned to boom the aspirations Of any
candidate. 1t Is anticipated the cause
Of Democracy In general will be es-
poused and that the keynote Of the
contest will be sounded.
From that time onward the chief
Interest will center In the selection in
the various states Of delegates to the
national convention. who will deter.
mine the standard bearer Of the par
~ In the presidential contest.
Ordinarily. the convention call linn
lts the time In which delegates may be
selected to a period embraced between
thirty days afr the meeting Of the
corMittee and thirty days bfore the
assembling Of he convention.
The first to be chosen will be
named In North Dakota, which has a
presidential preference law and
whore delegates are voted for in a
statewide primary and the voters in
dictate their choice for the nomination.
This applies both to the Democratic
and Republican delegates. The pri-
maries will, be held in March. SO that
North Dakota will start off, Oregon.
Nebraska. Wisconsin and New Jersey
have similar laws. In some other
states district delegates will be chos-
en- by the primary system, with or
without the privilege given the voter
of indicating his presidential choice.
n the various state committees may
decide. and in other states the dele
gates will be chosen by the old con.
vention method. The convention meth.
Cd Of selecting delegates at large will
be followed In most states outside of
those which have preference primary
laws.
The present prospects are that a
larger number OF candidates will be
voted for in the coming Democratic ma
tioncl convention than ever before In
the history Of the party. The Demo
Gratis seemingly have an abundance of
available presidential timber. and NO
one can predict with any degree OF
SAnae2>A w~s