Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-06-14
SOMETHING UP THEIR SLEEVE

Recent developments at Chicago,
which is just now the center of all
eyes of the nation, indicate that the
Roosevelt men have, in the language
of the street, something up their
sleeve" 1t seems incredible that the
colonel's leaders should lay down
without even the semblance of
struggle in so many of the contests
that are being decided agaihs. him.
Yelled threats and mysterious state
ments made by those of the cOlOnel's
henchmen who are on the INSIDE
or who are at least credited with be-
ing next to things, seems to bear out
the belief that there Is something do
ing in Chicago which is not yet appar-
ent on the surface.
1t is reasonable to suppose that the
Roosevelt men are not taking the
public into their confidence just now.
With an erwhelming majority,
against them IA the national commit
tee, and the certain indication that
so far as the committee is concerned,
!. will seat enough of the Taft dele
rates to either insure his nomination
on the first ballot, or to place him in
the lead in the balloting, the Roose-
welt men must depend upon other
methods to control the convention
and nominate their man. They have
declared that they will be able to do
this. Every one of them, from the
most oboscure follower of the Sage of
Sycamore to the mighty OrmsbY
McHarg, have, or seem to, the utmost
confidence in the ultimate success of
their movement. They may be
whistling to keep up their courage
and, again, they may not. They may
have the goods. Theodore Roosevelt
is no ordinary fighter. AS a politician
he is about the smoothest article that
ever happened. He cares nothing for
precedent or established custom. He
disregards all precedents and ali GUS
toms when they don't happen to
favor him. He creates precedent |
himself, He builds up a straw man. |
then kicks him over, and builds him |
up again. He says he may go to
Chicago" which is tantamount to |
declaring that he will be there.
What is the real Roosevelt pro-
gram? Nobody appears to know. Or, |
if they do, they are keeping quiet |
about it. In looking about for an |
explanation of the apparent acques-
ence of the colonel's supporters in the !
Taft program, one is inevitably at
tracted to the Southern delegates. 1t
appears that President Taft must de-
pend upon all of them remaining
true to the administration in order
to win. But, will they stick? Aye,
there's the rub. Ormsby McHarg
made an extensive trip through the
South in the colonels interest and
arranged for the various contests
which have so far been thrown out.
While in that territory he may have
arranged" for other things with the
regularly elected Taft delegates. 1t is
an open secret that the Southern del
egate cares absolutely nothing for the
man or the principles he represents.
All that looks good to him is the nice,
red bandwagon, and he doesn't care
a hoot who drives it, He only wants
"A comfortable seat thereon. and he
wants TO hold his fat Federal job.
Nobody believes for minute that. il
il shall become apparent that Taft
cannot win but that Roosevelt can.
these Southern delegates elected by
Taft conventions and instructed for
him will remain true TO their pledges:
they will desert his cause like drown
Ing rats from sinking ship and hus-
lie aboard the Roosevelt carriage.
The Taft men may employ the I
same methods used by Hitchcock in
1908, and these men may promise TO 5
stick, but let the tide swing toward I
Roosevelt and see how rapidly they I
will change their minds. In many OF 5
he national Republican conventions 1
n the past the South has held the !
OF power. and it appears !
hat the present Is no exception to I
he rule. \
Il Is probable that the managers s
4 President Taft's interests are fully 5
ware OF the impending danger that {
urks in the unwonted passiveness OF {
he Roosevelt men. They are expe- U
fenced politicians themselves and '
10 not intend 10 be caught napping. 4
hey. too. may have something up a
heir sleeve" but reports so far do i
.ot Indicate g. The program Of the $
residents supporters Is apparently d
rell defined and Il Is not dificult to S
breast their probable action. espe- e
ially in the knowledge Of past per- v
1rmanoos for they are moving So O
snely along the lines OF established d