Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-12-31
NO ONE REPUBLICAN
STANDS OUT STRONG
Continued from Page One.

Of this plan. Reports brought by
Republican state leaders to the meet.
ing of their national committee re.
Gently indicate that more than two.
thirds of the 4,119,507 electors who
voted for Col. Roosevelt in November
1912, have come over and joined the
3,484,956 who cast their ballot for
Mr.. Taft, "straight-goods" Repub-
lican.
Figuring on Progressives.
But there is no denying the fact
that the regular faction is not as con-
fident of the remaining Progressive
vote returning to the regulars as ii
pretends to be. The most conserva-
tive estimates made by regular lead
ers like Barnes, Penrose, Cannon,
Hilles and Mckinley are that the
Colonel, under present conditions,
can command about 100000 votes;
the most liberal, 100000.
It is the view of these men that,
unless the Colonel comes to them, he
will be politically homeless. Reports
encourage them to predict the COM
plete disintegration of the Progress
sive forces. The controlling reasons
given are that Progressive profess
SIGNALS who are not Democrats are
hungry and envious," and for the
further reason that victory is GER
tain"
How About the German Vote?
The more orthodox Of the regulars
even go further than this. They ex-
press the opinion that 1t would be
better for the Republicans to cast
the Colonel out entirely than to per-
NIT him to return. The reasons for
this attitude are that the men In this
group really believe the Colonel
would drive more votes to President
Wilson-or whoever the Democratic
candidate may be-than he could
bring into the Republican fold.
They specify the German-American
voter, because it is no secret among
the regulars that the opposition Of
this element in the population figures
prominently in the calculations of the
regular leaders. They depend upon
the friendship of the hyphenated citi-
zens Of Germany and Austrian ances-
try to bring more than 100000
votes into the Republican camp.
There isn't the slightest doubt in
the minds of the leaders that they
will be able to control the next ma
tional convention. Barnes, VINO is
admittedly the leader Of the
"straight-goods'' faction. left most Of
the details of the committee organi-
cation to Chairman Hilles and his
other associates and devoted his skill
to recruiting for delegates even in
advance Of their selection by State
and primaries.
Think T. r. Is Using Hughes.
Few of the seasoned leaders were
fooled by the declaration of Barnes
and his crowd that they have no can
didate in mind. 1t is equally true
that Barnes and his followers were
not in the least mystified by the as
sertions Of the Progressive faction
aside from the Colonel himself-that
the Colonel has no candidate in sight.
The Progressive wing is pretty GER
tain that Governor-elect Mccall OF
Massachusetts, and Elihu Root are
the two men who command, at pres
ent, the largest following among the
regulars. Present preferences favor
the latter.
The "straight-goods" men are con-
vinced that the Colonel and his most
trusted lieutenants are responsible
for exploiting Justice Hughes as a
for the Republican nomi-
nation. The Justice has declared.
with manifest sincerity. that he is not
to be considered a candidate. His
is emphasized by his re-
pudiation of the Endorsements Of the
Nebraska Republicans.
AS interpreted by the straight
goods" men, the Colonels interest in
promoting the boom for Mr.. Hughes
is predicated solely on his conviction
that the nomination of the Justice
would be most distasteful to Barnes
and his associates. The Barnes peo-
pie therefore conclude that the
Colonel really is trying to use the JUS
tice to "jimmy" his way back into the
control of the Republican party.
Some of the more vigorous of the
Colonel's critics even 60 so far as to
say that there is a pretty clear un-