The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-04-19
By Ernest G. walker.
tMail Special to The Advertiser)

ling fire of typewriting machines dies
down here at Washington. Interest
centers more upon the generals and cap
tains, who speed away to the front, and
upon the casualty reports brought in
after every engagement. The "jaw-
ing" managers of presidential bureaus
may brag their heads off and claim
the earth, for all we plain people care,
from this time on. 1t is the real re- |
suits, which made or unmake our dele
gate columns, that count these April
days.
The lines tighten around Colonel
Roosevelt. He is jumping around the
country in lively fashion. The Taft
ties are sending "follow'' men out af-
ter him. There was Kentucky, for in !
stance The ex-President chit the |
Bluegrass State only few days before
the time scheduled for district and state
conventions. He stirred 'em up in Ken
lucky profoundly but forthwith sen
ator Bradley started out with good lieu
hold the wavering ones in line.
Speaking recruits have been hurry
ing into West Virginia and half dozen
other States as result of the Roose-
welt invasion. 1t is said that Roose-
welt addresses, attacking President
Taft, are likely to do quite as much
harm as good for the Roosevelt cause.
There, however, one can not speak
with entire assurance. 1t would be re-
markable if an ex.President can COM
mand votes and support by going upon
the hustings and resorting to the same
methods as aspirants for minor offices
employ. In normal times this would
arouse sympathy for the person attack
ed Hence the argument that the
Colonel is helping Taft, possibly, but
the Presidents managers are taking no
chances in that direction. Good con-
gressional stumpers have been kept
afield ever since the Colonel started en-
tour.
Democracy Alive.
But the hilarity has not all been of
Republican variety in recent days.
Democrats are hurrying out of Wash
ington for their own delegate bagging.
Speaker Champ Clark has absented him
self once more for second trip into
his native State of Kentucky, which he
is very anxious indeed to get into his
column. He sailed forth there with a
written speech the peroration of which,
according to the judgment of his Wash
ington headquarters, would prove to be
the finest in that line ever heard In
Bluegrass land. Congress had to worry
along as best it could while the Speak
err was away on this Kentucky mission.
Gov. Woodrow Wilson has also
"dropped'i into town for few hours
recently and had a real old fashioned
powwow with a lot of the Democratic
congressman. He came In advance OF
those Democratic primaries in Illinois
of Thursday, April Q, and while he was
on his way to make several speeches II
Illinois in behalf of his own candidacy
The issue as between Governor Wilson
and Speaker Clark has been growing
warmer and warmer. 1t seemed as
though the Speaker s stock was going
up steadily, with tremendous and more
or less mysterious forces getting in be
hind him of late, but the Wisconsin
primary the other day was another hare
blow to the Speaker s boom. No sooner
was Wisconsin disposed of, however
than the rival forces rushed into Hi
nois, realizing that if Wilson floors
Clark there it would be the beginning
of the end.
Democratic bases and politicians il
Illinois have been against Governor
Wilson. He has made several trip
into the State and claimed to be cheer
ed by the fact that the legislature re
Gently in extra session authorized
presidential preference primary. Tha
was counted upon from the moment tn
law was signed by Governor Deneen 7
increase Governor Wilson's prospect
about 100 per cent.
In The South.
However, the fight for Democrati
delegates in the South has become yer
spirited. Kentucky is the scene of
Democratic as well as a Republican col
test and the voice of the spellbindei
rise emphatically.' The Democratic T
val following are also clashing in Geo
pia, Texas, Florida and the Carolina
where the delegates to be chosen WI
be of much influence upon the proceed
ings at Baltimore late next June.
1t is something of question no
widely voters take an interest in thei
pre-convention struggles. The cand
dates are trying to widen this interes
Caucuses and primaries too often e
list the attention only of the pure
political class. While the PRESIDENT
preference primaries, now authorized
ten states of the union, enable eve
registered voter to have voice in n
limitations for office, including Z
Presidency, it is altogether anoth
matter to get those voters out to exc
else their new opportunities for 81
frage.
AS States have voted preference p
maries. more or less of late under t
demands of Colonel Roosevelt and
supporters, the struggle to arouse int
est and get the voters to the polls
waved in intensity. II accounts in sol