The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-04-18
COUNTY PAPER
THE ILLINOIS PRIMARY.

. ~ GhuSSd ny ICoaIt vi tIIC
presidential primary held in the
state Of TllIonois on Tuesday. A ma
jority OF the observers rather ex-
pected that Taft and Wilson would
be the winners. On the other hand,
Roosevelt defeated Taft nearly two
to one and Clark received nearly
three times as many votes as Will
son.
The total number of republican
votes was about 100000, as COM
pared with 629,929 votes cast for
Taft in 19O8o The democratic vote
was about 100000, as compared
withsr-45O.796 for Bryan in 1908.
.ThusttSwill be seen that a larger per-
centagc Of the democratic strength
than of the republican was represent
Q In the primary. What the remain
ing 100000 republicans and 10000
F+ FY. -a
democrats may think about the can
didates for the presidency can only
be surmised. In the absence of any
expression from them, it will be
maintained, particularly by the sue
cessful candidates, that the result
Of the primary fairly represents the
sentiment of the state.
1t was stated by The Republican
asfew days ago that the Illinois prim-
airy would probably be accorded
more significance that any other ex-
preston that has been made up to
this time upon the various presid-
entail candidates. This is because it
is the largest and most important
state to hold a presidential primary
and because 1t Is fairly representa-
tive. It Is not the home Of a single
"insurgent'" leader in the republi-
can party and could not be said to
have leanings in that direction. 1t
was not particularly concerned over
the reciprocity treaty proposed by
Taft and SO was not prejudiced
against the president as was North
Dakota.
It Is noteworthy that the repub-
licans Of New York met the news OF
the illinois result With the general
suggestion that Hughes should be
the nan In support of such a
course is the fact that unusual bit
ternees has ,developad between
both Taft and Roosevelt followers.
It feared by those who have the
party's interest at heart that this
feeling WOULD We carried to, sthe
polls.
Similar i%sconsolate predictions
have been made heretofore, but
seldom have been fulfilled. The
heat Of-a general election campaign
concentrates. public attention upon
the question at issue - the selec-
tion of one OF two men for the pres
idency. The usual voter may be re-
lied upon to decide this question
rather than any other.
At that it is probably true that
Hughes woul be the strongest can
dfdatc the republican party could
propose. He has been raical enough
to attract that element in the party
and yet he stands resolutely enough
against certain of the Roosevelt doc
trines to appeal favorably to the on
servatiyes.
The Republican finds nothing in
the Illinois primary to change its
opinion that, as vote-getters in the
general election, the republican can
didates stand in the following ord.
er: Hughes, Roosevelt, Taft, La
Folette.
Champ Clark's big vote in Hi.
nois will surprise If not aston.
ishment. Wilson has sbeen heralded
as the favorite in the middle ives,
yet could get the votes of only one
in four in Illinois. There is no de.
nying the Illinois primary will give
q decided impetus to the Clark
campaign. Something invisible has
already been pushing it along and
now it seems to have plenty of mo.
mentum.
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