The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-04-18

Forming the Republican national
convention is not a mere game for
points, for getting, by hook or crook,
a majority of delegates for somebody,
but for getting delegates for a nomi-
nee who represents what most of the
Republicans want to stand for and
for whom It is most likely the people
will vote in November. For this rea-
son the verdict in the preference pri-
mary states will be needed in states
not so blessed
The three which have held presi.
Dental referendums have gone heav-
lily against Taft. In North Dakota he
polled 1900 votes out of $1,000 In
Wisconsin his whole vote was little
more than half his 10000 plurality in
that state in 1905 In Illinois his en-.
tire vote was $4,000 less than the
10000 plurality by which he carried
the state four years ago.
Senator Dixon the Roosevelt chair
man. said Whenever the voters
themselves have had a chance TO
measure him with their yardstick, the
result has been unanimous repudia.
ton"
What is the significance Of such un.
popularity i'm the PRIMARIES? Repub.
leans everywhere are asking and an
swering in the negative the question,
"If the people will not vote for Mr..
Taft ir the primaries. would they
vote for him in the election?" This
query was so answered on the floor
Of the New York state convention.
Lack of confidence, which is ex.
pressed by the people in the presi.
Dental preferendum. is expressed by
powerful party leaders in refusing to
have delegates whom they control in.
structed for Taft.
While in Vermont the delegates.at.
large were not instructed, because
by mutual agreement two Roosevelt
and two Taft delegates were chosen,
the New York delegates-at-large were
not instructed because the state lead.
ers had come to disbelieve Taft's elec.
tion would be probable II he were
nominated Though he is now against
Roosevelt. William Barnes, Jr., want.
ed himself and the delegates left
free from Taft strings to be with the
winner when the time comes to vote.
In New York cold feet on the Taft
proposition were caused by the popu.
lar vote in Illinois, Wisconsin and
North Dakota. in which states pro-
gresslve Republicans, who were for
Taft in 1908. voted this year their
conviction that he was just a cold
foot progressive.
Ohio supporters of Roosevelt were
electrified by the news from Illinois.
None the less that they had forecast.
ed ii. Arthur l.. Gsrford, Ohio mem.
ber of the Roosevelt national commit.
tee, in his Elyria paper, had noncha-
lently challenged: "If Taft over
whelms the progressives at the dis
trict primary in Illinois today, the
Telegram, for one, will concede that
Roosevelt leaders have underestimate
ed the presidents popularity and pos
slble strength before the people.
Watch tomorrow for the results in
Illinois, where the people get a
chance at the issue"
When II was seen that II was Taft
who was overwhelmed, the Roosevelt
men here jubilantly said the results
justified their fight tor a presidential
referendum in Ohio and their charge
that the Taft men dare not enter one.
That. as State Chairman Walter +.
Brown stated, The majority OF the
Republican state central committee
prevented at the demand of the ad-
mnistration." But the Roosevelt mi.
nority of the committee prevented
the Taft members taking from the
Ohio Republicans the right guaran-
teed by law of electing district dele
gates by primary.
Candidates for national delegates
publicly pledged to Roosevelt have
come cut in every part of the state.
Petitions for their entry, which must
be made by Saturday, April 20, are
being rapidly and eagerly signed, and
the Republican voters will know
whom to vote for to carry out their
wishes at Chicago.
Entries for delegates have been
dElttu ulbll III a HullDfl VI uinllltlo
by conventions Of representatives
from the various Roosevelt clubs in
the district Such meetings were
held this week In Shelby for the
Fourteenth district, at Youngstown
for the Eighteenth district, and al
Toledo for the Ninth district.
At the Shelby meeting IT was an
nounced that OF 276 central commit
teemen in the district Ashland, Hu
ron, Knox, Lorain, Morrow and Rich
land counties, 80 were noncommittal
1856 for Roosevelt, SO for Taft and one
for LaFollette.
Before Illinois voted, more than on'
Ohio editor had noted the reaction
airy course of the Taft majority o
the state committee had caused
healthy reaction toward Roosevelt fl
the state"
The Manchester Star-Republical
came out with the declaration: MI
Roosevelt can be elected, Mr.. Tai