Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-19
POLITICS DAY BY DAY

1t is one of the satires of politics that
Ormsbv McHarg. who in 1908 was in
charge of Mr. Tafts interests in the con-
tests brought before the national com
mittee by opposing delegations from the
southern states, should now he engaged
in engineering contests from the south
against President Taft.
Politicians who are conversant with
the conditions and practices of the re-
publican national committee said TO-DAY
that the frank announcement OF the
Roosevelt people that they have eStab-
lished a separate bureau. with special
ly trained man in charge of it, to create
contests in every southern state will not
be received with approval by the national
committee.
Virginia at least will not furnish the
! Taft forces any ground for such cam
paign. That state is overwhelming. Tor
Taft, and only one contest is threatened,
namely, from the Richmond district. IT
is said to be probable that in the interest
of party harmony in the state this con-
test will be withdrawn.
The national committee. it is SAID, Is
likely to pay but scant attention to con-
tests bearing the earmarks of having
been framed up by specially created
bureau of the Roosevelt organization.
Further light was thrown on southern
contests by Joseph c. Manning, a we'll
known republican politician of Birming-
ham, Ala, who gave out an interview at
Taft headquarters. He said:
almost without exception the sentl-
ment among the republican voters in the
south both black and white, is for the
return of President Taft to the White
House. The south is naturally conserva-
tive in it's attitude. 1t looks with Suspi-
aio no mi referendum.
1t is more in the habit of UNFOLDING old
Established customs than of adopting new
political ideas. For that reason it favors
the nomination of President Taft rather
than Col. Roosevelt.
Perhaps the question that has as much
influence with southern voters and over
which there has been more mlslnterpre-
tation than anything else is That OF led
eral patronage. The charges that Taft
is using his patronage to secure his re-
nomination are absolutely false. There
never was less federal influence used in
the south than at the present time. IN
der Roosevelt it was at its height. IN
der his administration public official
who opposed him was removed from Of
flee. There are a number of public Off
Gals today who oppose Taft, but they
still retain their positions. That is the
Taft attitude.
Almost all Of the county conventions
and many of the district and state con-
ventions for the election of delegates to
the republican national convention have
already been held, and in the states of
Alabama. Georgia and the Carolinas
there have been no contests, the delegates
being instructed for Taft This is an I'M
usual situation. and more clearly than
anything >else shows the southern senti-
ment, as Many of these conventions have
been held since Roosevelt made his an
nouncement Four years ago there was
strife Today there is none. Personally
was opposed to Taft four years ago and
was sent as an opposition delegate to the
national convention, so that / feel that
am not prejudiced in my statements
Among the white voters of the south
it is the remembrance of his use OF
southern federal patronage, his advocacy
of the initiative and the referendum and
the feeling that he has violated the
spirit of the square deal and of fair
play that are the controlling factors in
their opposition to the nomination of eX-
President Roosevelt. AS conservatives
they object to the possibility of mob rule,
expressed through the initiative and the
referendum. AS Americans they believe
| in fair play
But it is among the black vote that
the greatest hostility is apparent. The
!, colOred people of the south have not yet
| Col. Roosevelt's attitude i'll 1t. You
| would be surprised to know what good
constitutional students the colored men
| are. They realize that in its protection
| lies their own protection They realize
| that the northern sentiment is in their
| favor, and that while the republican
| party is in power they will be protected
| Col. RooSevelt'S action In the browns
! vile affair did more than any other one
| thing to destroy the negro confidence IN
| the republican party. l think / can safe
| " say that that action is mainly respon-
sible for the large increase in lynchings
| that have occurred in the south during
| the last few years. 1t removed the re-
/ St, Mt they TOOK
| advantage of it, But the colored people
have not forgotten it, and they will vote
for those whom they think will support
| the Constitution. They are afraid or the
| initiative and the referendum because
| they are afraid of mob rule
| Former Senator Hemenway explained
| the action of the Indiana primaries last
| week as follows:
| while the law does not provide for
| primaries except in the larger cities OF
the state, every effort was made in the
| first congressional district in Indiana to
| secure vote in the various conventions.
| lat Princeton Ind, by agreement OF the
Taft and Roosevelt forces, both sides be-
| ing represented upon the board. delegates
We're selected by vote. the Taft delegates
| receiving ~ votes to 1G1 votes for the
Roosevelt delegates. In the other towns
and cities of Gibson county the vote for
| the Taft delegates was largely in excess
| of that cast for Roosevelt delegates eX-
cept at Oakland City. where the vote was
close, but the Taft delegates won.
| 1.-The conventions were conducted with
| such absolute fairness that. although the
Roosevelt leaders at Evansville tried to
| induce some one to protest. no citizen
| of Gibson county could be induced to
| contest the result.
| I'm Pike county at Petersburg, with
| both sides represented on the board, a
xo1, In inrifv