The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-25
OLD GUARD HAS
Mo. DELEGATION
WELL SEWED UP
Standpat Reaction Is Shown by
HadIey Defeat.
Progressive Votes Not Wanted,
Is G.. o. p. Def.
HUGHES, WEEKS, FAIRBANKS
Attitude Is Typical of That
Dominating 1912 Convention.
Abbot Says Republicans Have
Invited Disaster.
Progressive Votes Not Wanted
Is G.. o. p. Def.
HUGHES, WEEKS, FAIRBANKS
Attitude Is Typical of That
Dominating 1912 Convention.
BY WILLIS J. ABBOT.

St Louis, May 25.-Twenty-nine of
the IS delegates from Missouri to the
Chicago convention met here today
and notified the Progressives within
or without the party ranks that their
votes were not wanted this November.
Old line reaction runs wild in the
present control of the Missouri Re
publican organization. 1t was ex-
pressed today by the defeat, by vote
of q to I. of Ex-Governor Hadley for
chairman of the delegation
Hadley is the only man on the del
egation who is known in any way be-
yond the borders of the state He is
probably the only one who represents
any considerable body of voters. or any
sort of distinctive public sentiment in
the state He has one record of hav-
ing carried the state for governor, and
of having impressed himself upon the
consciousness, not merely of his party
in the nation, but of all observers of
political affairs throughout the coun-
try Knowing and admitting these
facts the dominant faction in the del
egation turned down the ex-governor
for rich ST. Louis brewer.
It is natural. therefore. that in this
delegation there should be no appar-
ent Roosevelt sentiment
Delegation Split Several Ways.
A large minority of the delegates are
for Hughes The others are divided
in about equal parts between Weeks
and Fairbanks The Weeks delegates
do not seem hopeful of the success of
their candidate and admit quite frank
ly that after one or two ballots they
will turn to Fairbanks
attended the meeting today and
talked with a majority of the dele
gates With one accord they lend
emphasis on the assertion that there
was no Roosevelt sentiment on the
delegation They admitted cheerfulIy
Welt sentiment among the voters but
exulted that it had been carefully kept
out of the hand picked delegation
| That typical old guard attitude
which dominated the national conven-
ton in 1912 that boosted we have the
| delegates even if he has the people,
is repeated and re-echoed by the Mis-
souri, delegates today
| After spending a great part OF the
winter in Washington hotel in
which such Missouri leaders as Champ
Clark and Representatives Shackle-
ford. Russell. Rubey and Decker re-
chances in Missouri this year were
pretty good
Wilson Unpopular in Missouri
| Representative Democrats admitted
that Wilson was prodls1ously unpopu-
lar in the state The administration
/
the point of failure and the COVER
nor's personal foibles have aroused
that laughter which is often the death
knelI of a politician
| The Germans who are al1-powerful
/ in the eastern end OF the state, are
bitterly against Wilson
| have heard Champ Clark quoted
as despairing of his own reelection
and though that is utterly incredible,
it is undoubtedly true that several
Democrats seats are in the greatest
| danger
I Democratic doubt and fear to
Missouri ought to be in great measure
| dispeIled by the recent Republican ac-
| ton and all apprehension set at rest
| should the reactionary attitude OF this
/ delegation be adopted by the national
| convention For If the return TO the
| party of the Progressives is essential
to party success, the Missouri dele
gales have invited party disaster.
| If the support of the anu-Wilson
Democrats, who are numbered by the
tens of thousands. is desirable, those
delegates have deliberately repealed it
Close Vote in 1919.
| How vital to Republican hopes are
these forces so arrogantly spurned to-
day, the election returns of 1912 show
In that election Wilson polled $50, 746
votes; Taft, 207.s21; Roosevelt, 124,-
Ian. The combined Taft-Roosevelt
Ivote was 532192, or 1,446 in excess of
that of Wilson
IN 1908 the state was carried for Taft
by only 1925. with revolt in the
Democracy against Wilson This plu-
raIity might be materially increased
for a candidate who would hold the
Progressive element in the party. But