The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-06-14
WILLIAM 4. TAFT, Ohio
BY n. v. ANDREWS.
THE Republican national conven.
ton Of 1912 will be the great
est in point Of number In the


ton Of 1912 will be the great
est in point Of mum bers In the
history of the party and. the
political prophets are agreed. the most
momentous since wartimes. 1t will
be the climax OF prenomination con-
test unexampled in the annals OF the
United States. If not OF the world
For anything like parallel it is nee.
essary to 20 back 10 the Chicago con.
vention of 1880. when Conkling and
Garfield were the dashing leaders OF
the opposing forces OF General Grant.
who had been put forth for third
term. and ut John Sherman. Ohio's
choice for tue nomination. while Blaine
bOmed up as formidable "competi
tor. The faithful BOG delegates who
stood fast for Grant have become al
most as famous In American political
as the Balaklava COO are in British
military history. aud from this con
vention dated the factional strife of
''stalwarts" aud half breeds" that rent
the party and inspired the fanatic Gni
teau to take the life Of Garfield. who.
rs dark horse" was the winner in
the convention. ,fGffl ~
Popularity of "the Piumed Knight"
barring Roosevelt IN the zenith OF
his popularity. no Republican aspirant
for the presidency since Lincoln mas
ELECTED such enthusiasm from his sup
porters as James q. Blaine. unsuc-
<,ocsf,I a. ts~a cDpyant;on, ~ 1918 opd
1880. be secured the nomination in
1854. only to be defeated at the polls
He refused to he considered as can
didate in 1883. but in 1882. though
stricken with a mortal disease, he al
lowed his name to go before the con-
vention. where it evoked the most re-
markable demonstration OF enthusiasm
that a. Republican nominating assem-
blage had ever known. But the crowds
in the galleries could not vote, and the
delegates on the floor when the storm
of cheering had passed named Harri
son for the presidency.
Since 1902 the. Republican conven-
tons have not been memorable for hard
fought contests. Mckinley at st. Lou.
is In 1896 overcaine all opposition on
the first ballot. lie was renominated
without contest at the Philadelphia
convention IN 1900. when Roosevelt
was chosen TO fill second place on the
ticket. The laiter's nomination In 1904
was a foregone conclusion. and the
perfectly oiled machinery OF the 1908
convention accomplished the nOmina,
ton Of Taft without jar.
1t Is safe to predict that. whatever
may happen nj the Chicago Coliseum
on June IS and the days following. the
proceedings will be distinctly different
from those OF any Republican conven-
ton OF recent years
Beginning Of the Roosevelt Boom.
The. Roosevelt boom may be said to
have started With the announcement
of "the seven governors" that they had
summoned the colonel from his politi
cal retirement to assume the leadership
of the progressive" wing of the party
and TO propose himself for third term
rs president. Having cast Ibis hat In
the ring" the colonel delivered his
def 10 the conservatives Tor the ire
actionaries," as he prefers to call them,
in his Columbus speech. "A Charter OF
Democracy" before the Ohio constitu.
fionai convention. This speech. intend
ed TO be the keynote" OF the precon-
vention campaign" was chiefly re-
markable for its setting forth OF the
doctrine of The recall Of judicial deci-
sions. which has ever since been one
OF the lighting issues of the factionai
contest President TAFT for some time
refrsined from answering the attacks
made npon his administration by his