Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-18

Director Mckinley of the Taft bureau
issued a statement last night claiming In
substance that President Taft's renomi-
nation on the first ballot is assured. The
statement directed attention to the fact
that 135 delegates. about one-fourth of a
majority of the convention, have al
ready been elected and instructed for
Taft The Taft boomers assert that the
Roosevelt boom has collapsed and that
by the middle of April, after primaries
have been held in New York, Pennsyl-
vania and other influential states. an
overwhelming Taft victory will be in
sight.
The Roosevelt managers do not con-
cede any of the confident claims of the
Taft men. 1t seems apparent that the
Roosevelt men will keep up the fight to
tests from southern states before the ma
tional committee when that body meets
to provide for the temporary organiza-
ton of the convention. From recent ut
terances of Director Dixon of the Roose-
welt bureau, politicians draw the infer
ence that the Roosevelt men will bring
their heaviest pressure to bear upon the
allegation that the main strength of the
Taft movement is drawn from the south
ern delegations and will urge the COM
delegations from the south.
Some of the politicians are wondering ii
this is an indication of a possible bolt
by Roosevelt in case the national COM
mittee should decide against his con-
testants.
"All l will ask of the republican ma
tional committee is fair play" said Col.
Roosevelt at Oyster Bay last night in
discussing the contests over the southern
delegates. He went on to say:
Il am not trying to control the conf
mittee. AS to whether a majority of the
committee will be for me or against me
am not prepared to say. l only want a
square deal. The committee will have
the contests before it,, and upon the COM
mittees decisions will depend the seating
Of the disputed delegates"
In the week beginning March 81 Col.
Roosevelt will go into New England.
Speeches are to be made in Boston and
Concord, N. H., with possibly one in Port
land, Me-. although Col. Roosevelt doubt
ed whether he would be able to go to
Maine before the primaries are held. A
trip to Philadelphia and Newark is to be
made during the week of April Z.
Director Dixon last night wrote an
other letter to Director Mckinley in
which he said:
Il assure you that / would not dis
turb you at the game in which you
are engaged. nor arrest your manipu-
lation of the political machine you are
operating, for anything short of the
interests of the republican party. and,
above all, of the public interests as a
whole.
But have noted that in a statement
issued from your headquarters in refer
ence to the fraudulent primaries at In
dianapOlis you say their results furnish
the best answer that can be made to
the suggestion that in a popular test
President Taft would not secure the
| tremendous majority in the Chicago
convention which it is now evident he
will have
Il am delighted to find that you ex-
press such enthusiastic approval of pri-
| maries. 1t is under these circumstances
that l again reiterate my proposal that
you act with me to secure. as far as
possible, such primaries in every state
| In the Union. Without your assist
ance, and. indeed, in spite of the op-
position of yourself and associates, this
has been achieved in Massachusetts,
With your assistance it can be more
easily accomplished in Michigan and In
other states, either by law or through
the action of the state committees.
Il do not know whether you will
spare moment from the direction of
the game In which you are absorbed
but assure you reply will be APP
preciated. not only by myself. but by
the millions of republican voters who
have the real interest of the party at
heart and the unquestionable right to
say whether they desire Col Roosevelt
or Mr.. Taft as their candidate in the
approaching campaign"
La Toilette headquarters last night gave
out the following dispatch from Walter
l.. HOuser. who is in North Dakota
Notwithstanding blizzard Senator La
Toilette has addressed the largest politi-
cal meetings ever held in the state.
Everywhere there is great enthusiasm.
Our friends are we'll organized. am
sure we will carry the state for La Fol-
lette by a big majority
The Harmon headquarters have hound
dog song. the authorship of which is
anonymous. 1t runs thus:
Old Uncle JUDI Of Columbus town.
Allows dog to be kicked aroun'.
He does what he for the peoples good,
And now says little and just saws wood.
Willis J. Abbot, who was in Chicago
last week at the time Of the opening OF