Semi-weekly herald., 1912-02-26
vention got a snap judgment and vot-

met again and swallowed its first res
olution. Then it put out further res
olution that was for Taft, and prepar-
ed to jug the recalcitrant chairman
who was responsible for the first res
olution.
Thus it has been all down the line.
The disgruntled fellows in the organ
ization, who are well aware of the
maxim about early birds, started off
early and did little damage, but it
seems to have been pretty effectively
repaired. The impression is growing
stronger and stronger that the presi-
dents denomination is assured, and
that Roosevelt has lost the knack of
winning political victories. The lat
ter's prestige has certainly waned in
recent days. A hero, who is losing
every test made in his behalf does not
hold the alteration of the American
multitudes very long, especially who
it is a president who has had two
terms and is intriguing for third
| term.
| The chairman of an Indiana county
committee wired the president the
other day: 81 had time to take three
drinks from the water. pitcher while
the convention was cheering at the
mention of your name" This is. the
season of the county conventions
which choose delegates to the state
and district conventions that have
the nomination of delegates to Chi
cago.
Nowhere has this preliminary work
been more satisfactorily than in New
York state. The county chairmen
from upstate have Investigated senti-
ment, and reported to State Chairman
Barnes that the trend is strongly for
Taft. New York county and King
county Republican committees have
met and voted Taft Endorsements.
That is long step toward Taft dele
gates.
The Republican state committee Of
Maryland has just met at Baltimore
and declared for Mr.. Taft, and all its
members were present. This means
a Taft delegation in due time from
Maryland. The city committee of
Richmond, Va, has met and pledged
the president support. Two or three
Virginia cities and one Virginia coun-
ty have within few days elected
Taft delegates to the state and dis
trict conventions. These all mean
that Virginia will ultimately elect "a
delegates for the presidents renomi-
nation. Several other southern states
including Alabama, where some local
committees have been meeting, are
now nearly "sewed up"
A solid south vote at the Chicago
convention is not yet assured, but
matters are <rending that way. North
Carolina is one of the "badv spots
Ex-President Roosevelt has been .irt-
ing with some of the Tarheel leaders
very recently. They may be suffi-
cicntly influential to keep that dele
CATION from trooping over to Tfat
The southwest, now very important in
national voting, because it includes
the populous state of Missouri, has in
the meantime been headed around a
little. The st. Louis city committee
has rescinded it's Endorsement of Ted
dy Roosevelt after strenuous protests
had been made, and the Taft propa-
ganda has been extended into Kansas,
where the Topeka Day club, of 1000
old-line Republicans, has given its in
dorsement to a denomination.
Similar Taft undertakings have
been under way in many other states.
1t all goes to show how effectively
the machinery is working, and ex-
plains something of the discourage
ment that has come upon the laborers
for other Republican booms Speakers
from Washington are now going out
to almost every point of the compass
to improve the oratorical opportuni-
ties. Much is expected from them dur
ing February. There are always
numbers of practiced helpers in the
big city during session Of congress.
Nearly every Republican senator has
at least one in his employ. They are
magicians at their business, and that
is why they are given places on the
house and senate rolls, where in time
of stress they can serve as minute
men. A great many of these have
J been quietly moving out of Washing
/ t n and are now afield. In the course
J of two or three weeks their activities
/ will be bringing results. Furthermore,
the minutemen will get at local con-
ditions and make it possible to direct
the operations from Washington with
maximum of efficiency.
Critics may say that federal ma
! chine is doing this; that the people
: have small patience nowadays with
political machines. And that may be
, true as general proposition. But
= the fact remains that organization al
, most always wins these preliminary
fights. Generally there is much less
: popular interest in delegate-makine
5 than In voting for party candidates.
3 1t is doubtful is a better organiza-
/ tion for the nomination of a president
, has been geared up to high pitch In