The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-04-30
Fighting
Are Both Political Parties
In Massachusetts

OF the hottest political campaigns Mas
sachusetts has seen in years, the State
wide presidential preference primary
will be held tomorrow. The primaries
will be confined to the selection of
delegates who will represent Massa.
chusetts in the coming national con.
ventions of the Republican and Demo-
cratic parties. The names of Taft,
Roosevelt and LaFollette will appear
on the Republican ballot. On the
Democratic ballot will appear the
names of Wilson and Clark Governor
Foss withdrew his name from the
ballot, though he still remains a recep-
tive candidate for the Democratic
presidential nomination and is expect
ed to receive the support of the Massa-
chusetts delegates when the first bal
lot is taken at the Baltimore conven-
ton. Tomorrow's primaries will de-
termine who is to have the support OF
Massachusetts when it becomes ap-
parent that Governor Foss has no
cnanCe 1Or tne nomination.
AS early as last November astute
politicians predicted that Massachu
sets would be as interesting political
ly this year as some of the other
States that have been known in the
past as doubtful. In verification of this
prediction it is only necessary to point
to the fact that both President Taft
and Colonel Roosevelt have paid three
visits each to the Bay State since the
contest between the two began in
earnest.
Encouraged by the reelection of
Governor Foss and the defeat of the
regular Republican candidate last fall
the Progressive Republicans deter
mined months ago to make a hard fight
in Massachusetts this year. AT first
they hoped for nothing more than to
prevent solid delegation being sent
to the national convention for Presi-
dent Taft. But developments of the
past two months have so encouraged
the Progressives that the leaders will
be disappointed if they do not capture
the entire delegation for Roosevelt at
tomorrows primaries.
Since the Massachusetts primaries
are not complicated with local
| fights of any kind they will offer test
of sentiment different from any that
has gone before. 1t Is q straight-out
contest between Taft and Roosevelt, on
the Republican side, and not be indica-
tive of sentiment affecting the gov
ernorship, or national issues, for that
matter, for the State convention Is
eliminated under the new primary law
and the Massachusetts delegates tc
Chicago and Baltimore will not be
governed even by platform.
If Colonel Roosevelt succeeds in car
rying Massachusetts it will mean, in
the opinion of his managers, that there
will be no chance to check his tri
umphal march toward the nomination
AS the situation stands, the Taft peo
pie feel comparatively safe, but at the
same time they realize the moral ef
feet of a Roosevelt victory in Massa
chusetts. They think that if Roose
welt carries the State the delegates
from Southern States, always an un
certain quantity, will very likely fol
over to the Roosevelt band wagon an(
create trouble, if not disaster, at Chi
cago.
While the situation in Massachusetts
is not so crucial for the Democratic
candidates, both Speaker Clark ant
Governor Wilson are anxious to ge
the Massachusetts delegates to the
Baltimore convention. The Clark cam
paign got under way several weeks
ago and has gathered great momen
tum. The Clark managers express
themselves absolutely confident tina
the Speaker will defeat Governor VII
son in Massachusetts by three--to
one vote. While they are not maxim;
any definite predictions as to the out
come, the Wilson managers apparent
ly are not worried over the situation
here. They say that Governor Wilson
} is certain to get his share of the Mass
achusetts delegates. At the same tim'
J they have taken nothing for granted
and have sent some of their stronges
campaigners into the State during th'
past week.