The Washington herald., 1912-04-28
PRIMARY STATES
IN THE LIMEL|GHT
Contests Yet to Come Will
Decide Fate of Repub-
lican Candidates.
SITUATION UP TO DATE

OF the LO7s delegates who will make UP
the Chicago convention SO, or nearly
two-thirds, have already been elected
-Four hundred and eight are yet to be
chosen
OF the SO delegates elected. 40 are in
structed for or pledged 10 President Taft.
This total is within 40 OF the $40 dele
gates necessary for nomination i'm the
Chicago convention. In addition TO the
40 delegates that President Taft now
has he has carried the primaries in New
Hampshire and Nevada, which insures
the election of eight Taft delegates from
the former State and six from the latter.
This brings the total number OF dele
gates he has definitely in sight at this
time up to "a.
Tweity-one States have yet to elect
their delegates in all or In part. Among
these States are Arkansas, California,
Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky. Maryland.
Massachusetts,, Minnesota, Montana, New
Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas,
Washington, and Wyoming.
In some of these States the result is
clearly foreshadowed. For example. Ar
kansas will have two delegations. Presi-
dent Taft viii have the regular dele
gates and Roosevelt a contesting dele
cation. In KANSAS Roosevelt will have
all of the twenty delegates probably. eK-
cept for one Congressional district. Pres
ident Taft will control in Kentucky, ex-
cept for three delegates. In Missouri.
with a few districts yet to be heard
FROM. Col. Roosevelt has the delegates
at-large and probably at least eighteen
Of the thirty-siX delegates from that
State. Utah and Wyoming are almost
certain to go for President Taft. while
West Virginia will be carried for Col.
Roosevelt, judging from primaries and
conventions already held.
Important Contests.
The real contests yet to come are in
California, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, New Jersey. North Carolina,
Ohio, Texas, and Washington. These are
important States. and their votes will
decide the contest. Four of these States
have Presidential preferential primaries
California, Maryland, Massachusetts,, and
New Jersey.
The first primary will be that in Mas
sachusetts next Tuesday. Politicians
here look upon 1t as decisive as be-
tween Taft and Roosevelt. 1t is ac-
knowledged that II Roosevelt adds Mas
sachusetts to the sweeping victories in
Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska,
the effect upon the States that are still
to choose delegates will be far-reaching
and President Tafts candidacy will have
received a blow from which he probably
will not recover. President Taft's ad-
visers are keenly alive to the supreme
importance OF this Massachusetts, con-
test. That. explains President Taft's
own efforts in that State and his de-
cision to remain on the ground and do
some more speech-making on Monday.
The Taft leaders realize, too, that they
have staked practically everything in
this Massachusetts, contest by having
the President undertake an active cam
paign in that State. II Roosevelt is tri-
umphant it will have been a plain case
of the people having expressed their
preference after hearing both men.
Primary States Doubtful.
All four Of the States which are to
hold Presidential preference primaries
Massachusetts,, California, Maryland.
and New Jersey-are doubtful. California
in the opinion of politicians conversant
with the situation there, will go for eth
or Roosevelt or La Toilette, probably the
former. President Taft's friends are very
confident that he will carry both Mary
land and New Jersey. They acknowI-
edge, however, that an unfavorable re-
suit in, Massachusetts, may influence the
outcome in these two States. Minnesota
probably will give a majority of her
delegates to Mr.. Roosevelt.
In the opinion of Minnesota delegates
in Congress, President Taft will prob
ably control two districts. Montana is
expected to elect a Roosevelt delega-
tion, eight in-number.: The Ohio pri-
maries will be among the last to be
held. They are scheduled for May 81.
Roosevelt undoubtedly will break into
the Ohio delegation. but President Taft
expects tt control il.
The general impression now is that
the contest between President Taft and
Col. Roosevelt will be close, and that
the result may not be known until the
contests are decided at the Chicago
convention