The Washington herald., 1912-06-02
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

For the time being, the tumult and
the shouting is ended. There is a lull
in the political struggle The campaign
ing is over. All the delegates except
twenty-five have been chosen. From
this time on the storm center will be
Chicago.
The great fight will now be for the
control of the convention. The de-
Gliding factor is the National Com
mittee. This organization prepares the
temporary roll of the convention, but
before this can be done judgment must
be rendered in over ooa contests. 1t is
a significant fact that IL of these con-
tests have been brought against Taft
delegates by the Roosevelt people.
while the election of only twenty-seven
bf the Roosevelt delegates is ques-
toned. 1t would seem, therefore, as
if it had been, the policy of the
Roosevelt managers to institute con-
tests upon every possible pretext
in the hope of injecting an element of
uncertainty into the situation. 1t is
claimed by the Taft managers that only
10 per cent of these contests have rea-
sonable foundation.
The duty devolves upon the National
Committee to decide upon the prima
facie right of the delegates to seats
in the convention. The importance of
its decision is shown by the fact that
the temporary organization of the con-
vention names, among other things, the
committee on credentials This COM
mittee is made up of one member from
each State and one each from Hawaii,
Philippine Islands, Porto Rico, Alaska,
and the District of Columbia, fifty
three in all. If the Taft delegations
which have been elected are seated, the
President will have at least thirty-four
members of the committee on creden-
tials, majority sufficient to sustain the
action Of the National Committee. And
if the delegates thus seated by the Ma
tional Committee can be retained and
become a part of the permanent organi-
zation President Taft will have more
than enough votes to insure his nomi-
nation
1t must not be expected, however.
that Mr.. Roosevelt and his managers
will accept without loud and emphatic
protest any decision which may be ad-
verse to them. Mr.. Roosevelt has al
ready made his attitude clear. ANY
contest which is not decided in his
favor will be, from his point of view,
decided wrongly. No matter how hon
estly and impartially the National Com
mittee may act, it will certainly be
condemned by Roosevelt if it seats
the Taft delegates. If the Roosevelt
contestants are thrown out there
will be a clamor about fraud and
force and the country will be asked to
believe that a great wrong has been
Perpetrated. Perhaps, indeed. if the
decision of the National Committee shall
be against him, Mr.. Roosevelt NAV find
in that fact an excuse for heading an
independent ticket. He will claim that
he has been cheated out of the nomi-
nation.
The shrewdness of the Roosevelt plan
demonstrates his remarkable ability as
a politician. When he could not get the
delegates he instituted contests. He
made these so numerous that the bal.
anee of power actually rests with these
disputed cases Then he announced
q advance that if the contests were not
settled in his favor it would be be.
cause. of trickery and dishonesty on the
part Of the political bosses. Thus he
paved the way for a justification of
bolt
It is probable that the National Com
mittee will decide large proportion of
the contests in favor of the Taft dele
gates. In this event there will be a
struggle upon the floor of the conven-
ton, with the odds in the Presidents
favor, because his delegates will be oc-
cupying seats, and possession is nine
points Of the law.
Instead of being ratification meet
ing the Chicago convention will be the
scene Of one of the most bitter political
battles ever fought. The curious thing
about the situation is that the struggle
is largely personal.
The Democratic party was sadly di-
vided in 1896 but the question then at
issue was an economic one. Men either
believed or they did not believe that
the free coinage Of silver at the ratio
of 10 TO I was wise and beneficial In
the Republican party to-day the whole
fight reFolYes around Tsft's personality