The Washington times., 1912-05-26
BITTER FIGHT TO
RAGE IN CHICAGO
OVER CONTESTS
!McKinley's Statement Shows
He Plans to Gobble Dis
puted Delegates.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page)
there is every probability of the con-
vention having test at the point OF
choosing a temporary chairman, and OF
one division after another following at
every turn from that tine forth
II is pointed out by the Roosevelt
people that Taft control of the commit
tee would be utterly impossible IL the
matter were left to Republican States.
1t Is his control of the committeeman
from Alaska, Porto Rico, the District OF
Columbia, Hawaii, the Philippines--all
Of which are without representation i'm
the Electoral College-and from the
solidly Democratic States of the South
IN nearly all of which there are con-
tests Tor delegates seats, that enables
the Taft forces even to claim possibility
of control
That the party will be saved from
such Kilkenny warfare, however, Is
advices that come from around the
country. indicating that the committee
men Will not submit to such a de-
pauchery of the party. Even men who
intimating that there is a limit, and
that they do not consider their loyalty
10 the President should dictate partici-
patton IN deliberate effort to wreck
the party. Pressure of safer counsels
and home opinion is bringing excellent
feysults In many quarters.
While the politicians are. discussing
and Roosevelt have been press
sey Mr.. Taft denied that that 'fr he
has been the tool of the bosses and
asked for specifications in some of his
speeches yesterday. Mr.. Roosevelt an
nounced plainly that the bosses would
not not be permitted to steal control at
The primary will be held on Tuesday.
and present indications are that the
sweep Will be the biggest Roosevelt has
Hlaoe In any state, not excepting Cali
rornia and Minnesota. The Roosevelt
people will be much disappointed If Taft
gets more than four delegates of the
states twenty-eight, and do not expect
MN 10 get any at all. The Taft man
agers know they are in for a crushing
defeat, and are industriously putting out
the claim that they don't need iIew Jer-
sey, anyhow, because they already have
enough to nominate.
Hopes on Committee.
AS a matter of fact, Taft hopes have
deserted the realm of delegate selection
and turned to manipulation of the ma =.
tional committee, packing the conven-
ton hail. getting the right kind of
proxies In place of people who. in the
national committee, may be squeamish
about the extreme things that are plan
ned, and In general arranging the details
for 1.-THE big job Of seizing the conven-
tion, whether or no.
While this unprecedented warfare
within the Republican camp Is attract
ing all attention. 1t is also exerting a
curious reflex influence on the Demo-
cratic contest for control at Baltimore
There are two Democratic views of the
expedlent course to pursue. Most Dem
ocrats now believe Roosevelt will be
nominated at Baltimore; a considera BILE
minority affect, at least, to believe that
there will be a bolt of the Taft people
and two tickets in the field both claim
ing to be Republican. This latter view
Is perhaps rather creature of wish
rather than of thought, but a good
Gratis.
If Roosevelt is nominated shall the
Democratic try to match his progress
siyism by nominating progressive can
didate-Bryan or Wilson-or shall It
take the other horn of the dilemma,
and name conservative-Underw
Harmon or some other man? That is
the real question. Oddly, Champ Clark
is regarded as failing to qualify Tor
radical, 1t cannot name him, but must
De for Bryan or Wilson; II 1t Is to be
conservative, Clark will not mean
enough conservatism, it must have I'm
sion that just such considerations will
at the last weight heavily at Baltimore,
is causing considerable and observable
increase In Underwood and Wilson
strength, while Clark correspondingly
loses.
Roosevelts nomination, however,
seems more likely to mean Bryan than
anybody else. The great mass of Demo-
Gratis. both the leaders who are met in
Washington and the rank and file
throughout the country. have a firm
conviction that II Roosevelt Is named
by the Republicans. there Is only one
Democrat who is powerful enough. on
the stump and in the confidence of the
people, to keep Roosevelt from putting
the Democrats on the defensive and
keeping them there. That man, of
course is Bryan. ThSse people want
an offensive, not defensive campaign,
and they look to Bryan as the only man
who can give 1t to them. They point
out that Bryan has nothing to explain:
everybody else in the list has a good
deal to explain.