The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-02
Roosevelt Forces Are to Make
Active Fight There
LEGISLATURE IS WATCHED
If the Presidential Primary Law Passed
the Legislature, the Roosevelt Forces
Think 1t Will Be a Victory
for Them.

Washington, D. c., March 2.-Thc
Roosevelt campaign in Massachusetts
its character and possible result, Is be-
lieTed to depend much on whether OF
not the legislature now in session enacts
a presidential primary law. The Roose.
| welt managers have the idea that the
colonel can split the state with Taft il
the right kind of law can be completed
with Governor Foss' approval, and they
/ are not counting upon that official TO
oppose anything in the way Of meas
ure that will divide the Republican
party. The doings of the legislature
are followed with the keenest interest
i by both the Taft and Roosevelt man
Fgers here, but at no time have the
4 Taft men believed they could lose any
I substantial number of delegates to
! Roosevelt
/ Until the Columbus speech, Roosevelt
men were confident of carrying the sixth
district and of doing well in Suffolk
county, but since that speech Repre-
sentative Gardner has declared against
( Roosevelt, Senator Lodge has withdrawn
himself from any part in the presi-
dental campaign, and Boston, judging
by the letters received by Massachu-
sctts men in all branches of the gov
ernment service here, will refuse to give
approval Of the colonel's radical ideas.
Senator Joseph NJ Dixon of Montana
elected by Colonel Roosevelt to manage
his campaign, is the only man in the
announced Roosevelt management whom
the Taft men regard as serious loss
to their cause. Dixon rescued the Taft
campaign from the slough of despond in
the summer of 1908 and it is believed
here might have easily been held in
line for Taft had the president shown
HIN even a little more than ordinary
consideration in the last three years.
Dixon is clean, aggressive and able and
personally liked by everyone.
The other Roosevelt headquarters men
have quit Taft for reasons of their own,
in most cases President Taft was dis
satisfied with the inactivity of f. w.
Sims in his conduct of the cases against
the Chicago packers and refused TO re-
appoint him United States district at
torney, II was hoped when Mr.. Taft
became president he would retain Tru-
iran II, Newbury Of Detroit as secre-
tary OF the navy. but he substituted
George Won /. Meyer. Frank Knox OF
Saulte Ste Marie is closely associated
with Governor Chase s. Osborn of Michi-
gan, who is understood to be a large
holder OF United States steel stock. and
Walter r. Brown OF Ohio is controlled
by Dan r. Hanna. who, with George w
Perkins, is charged to-day by Walter
l.. Housers the La Toilette manager,
with being the backbone of the Roose.
vtlt organization Cecil Lyon Of Texas
was a Roosevelt referee" while Roose-
welt was in the White House and was
offended by President Taft's refusal to
name his candidate for judgeship. Mr..
Sims is TO be secretary and the gentle
mer named members OF the Roosevelt
executive committee. When George w.
Perkins started on his anti-Taft hunt
in December he aimed to bag as many
ehairmen of Republican state commit
tees as he could get Edwin NJ. Lee
OF Indiana went over first and gave
ont a statement on the day of the meet
ing of the national committee predict |
ing Taft would lose Indiana. Now Knox |
and Brown have followed. Except SEN /
ator Dixon, no progressive Republican /
has been selected to constitute the |
Roosevelt executive committee. In I
Maine also it may be noted that two |
OF the leading Roosevelt men are Fred I
erick Hale son of the former United /
States senator, and Frank l.. Dingley, |
editor of the Lewiston Journal.
The Roosevelt speaking campaign is
being carefully prepared. The colonel
is receiving hundreds of invitations to
speak but acceptances will be confined
to big affairs, with copies of the speeches
given out well in advance TO insure
wide circulation. 1t is believed here that
the colonel, noting the unfortunate effect
Of his discussion of constitutional sub
iects, will put the soft pedal on that
subject and set the country going on
another line of talk that will promise
a more sympathetic response.
President Taft's easy victory Thurs
La in the eighth Michigan district may
'ause some surprise in view fof the
strong Roosevelt claims made for that
state. This. however is the strongest
district in the state Sharp
er contests may lie expected every
where else in Michigan, but that Taft
viii carry the majority is being de-
luced from the fact that the two Mich
ran senators, William Alden Smith and
Townsend, have declared for Taft.
These gentlemen always like to be with
he winner and their choice undoubted.
Y is their prophecy also.