New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-03
Nine State Primaries for
Chicago Delegates Due
This Month.
CONVENTION RULE
AIM OF LEADERS
Neither Hughes Nor Roosevelt
AvoWed CandidcteS-Real
Battle for Control.
Iron Tn, Tribun. Burcsu

From The Tribune Burcsl
Washington, April 1.-The fight for
the control Of the Republican National
Convention will take definite shape this
= month, when primaries viii be held In
nine states. including some Of the larg-
est for the choice Of 1913 delegates,
more than one-third Of the total mem
bership. Starting tomorrow in Michi-
gan, there will be a series Of contests
which will 80 far toward providing
real test for much Of the converse
tonal politics that has occupied the
last few weeks.
Not that the results can be judged
by count of noses. The color Of the
instructions given to the delegates to
be chosen will actually make little diff
ference in the final struggle. The real
battle is between forces which viii not
appear on the stage except in a few
scattered places. The real victory will
not 20 10 those which win at the polls.
Politicians here generally recognize
that the fight has narrowed down to
Roosevelt and Hughes, neither Of
whom is a candidate. and neither Of
whom is likely 10 get single OIL
fciallv instructed delegate out of the
1888. Yet as the returns come IN. with
delegates chosen for this or that favor
jte son. the politician viii figure that
one or the other Of the real candidates
has gained or lost
The contest this year is as strange
as has ever preceded national CON
vention. The attacking force Is Roose-
velts, yet he Is mot a candidate and
there is no open assurance that he
will accept the nomination. The de-
fensive army bears Hughes banners.
but cannot assure the voters that the
Justice will accept the nomination II
il is offered 20 him.
Real Fight for Position.
The real fight, then. is not for dele
gates so much as for position Inc
Roosevelt supporters are hoping by
demonstration Of strength electing
delegates of known Progressive prin-
ciples and Roosevelt leanings TO make
such a showing that the party leaders
will not dare repeat the tactics OF
1912. They acknowledge that the old
leaders will be in control, as IN the
year Of the split, but they hope that
these leaders can be persuaded 70 use
their power in a different spirit, and
they believe that a strong BODY OF
Roosevelt delegates viii help. Also,
they have plans for stampedine the
convention, # il is necessary. and the
more there are TO start that stampede
the better their chance Will be.
The Hughes men should really be
Il ole Mur
Of them are for Hughes only as second
choice. In fact. there is as yet no
agreement among the old liners beyond
the desire to beat. first. Roosevelt. then
Wilson. IL has been hard for any Of
them TO announce support Of Hughes,
and they have done so only as they
>were driven TO. Some are still nursing
lutte first choice bOomlets Of their own,
but all have seen the wisdom OF ex-
planning that Hughes would be quite
acceptable. II Hughes becomes unnec-
essary. they are quite ready TO switch,
and they are doing their work with the
idea that the chance for this may
come and that they had best be ready
for IT,
SO in the coming primaries the real
effort of the Hughes men is devoted,
not TO getting men who favor the NOM
ination of Hughes. but TO getting men
who will do as they are told. What
they want is solid. biddable, stand
without htching. Roosevelt hating,
stampede-proof stalwarts. who can be
traded around II there ia business Of
fcred in that line.
These peculiar conditions make II
more than a little hard to gauge ex-
actly the results Of the primaries. The
best Of politicians have been known
10 make mistakes in picking their men,
and the last few weeks have been full
OF plots, conspiracies and manPuvres
by which men who really belong In one
camp have been trying 20 get elected
dell gates under the colors OF the other.
There has also been. and will be. press
urs of all kinds brought TO bear on
men selected II will take the conven-
ton vote 70 show exactly who did win
in all the fights that are coming of.
Struggle Opens in Michigan.
The months struggle will open quiet
ly enough tomorrow in Michigan,
where thirty delegates viii be instruct
ed for Senator William Alden Smith,
% Titanic inquiry fame The Senator
has recently stated that his own Presi-
Dental boom was not hurting him any
and indicated that he was ready 10 sup
port Hughes.
On Tuesday Wisconsin will instruct
is twenty-six delegates, as usual, for
La Toilette. The question 20 be an
swered there is whether the men
chosen will stand with the Senator in
case. ca in 1912. his personal dislike
Of Colonel Roosevelt and his liking FOR
the Progressive cause clash.
But on the same day in New York
will come one or The really significant
fights Of the month The state has lost
two delegates under the new apportion-
fnent, and there are lightweight TO be
chosen. The 6ght has been threc-cor-
nered. with Barnes working ostensibly
for Root, and separate organizations
for Hughes and Roosevelt delegates.