The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-16
Declares Roosevelt Would Car
ry State by 100000.
OLD GUARD GIVES VERSION
Can't WELD Strength OF Party
eaa at Chicago.
Scan Elect Him and Know VINO
We're EIecting."
81 ~ WILLIS j. ABnor.

Ct PAM MINI. May 16.-This state
was carried by Roosevelt in 1917 py
19.43O plurality. Should he pc nolnl-
mated by the Republicans TINS year yea
he would carry it by probably lou 'oVo-
1 have reached this conclusion at iit;
talking with bank presidents, poIills
Clans, political editors, merchants anu
the men in the street
"Rooseyeltt' cried the president OF
the largest trust company in St PauL
''If he'd only keep his mouth smut!
If he'd only stop scolding! If he only
concede some honesty to his oppon-
entsI But even as he is 1 am going
to vote for him and use every lIi7
fiuence 1 have for his nomination and
election. He is the one man the sit
ilation demands"
Sore on 1912, But Now
Good Lord, how 1 have fought
Roosevelt" said veteran Repuollca1l
until lately something of boss and
stilleconsulted on all points of party
policy. I have fairly hated him and
j still believe that he was wholly
wrong in the course he took IN ISL
But I'm going to support him this
wear. My friends on the delegation
will vote for him. l wish he'd forget
some of his adjectives and credit some
other people with a moderate amount
of patriotism and common sense But
all the same he is the one man for
1he presidency today. Our people are
for him. and if he is nominated this
state will give him $4,000 plurality at
beast"
Interviews of this sort could be null
tiplied indefinitely. But here is
fact more significant than interviews
Poll Shows Sentiment.
About three weeks ago one of the
Minneapolis newspapers undertook
boil of its readers on presidential pref
,erences 1t sent out ballots giving the
names of 1 0 candidates. 1t was only
n few weeks after the state primaries
6n which Cummins had been success
full. But when the poll was completed
Roosevelt had more votes than all the
,other candidates combined.
The outcome was significant not
bnerely as showing the present temper
,of the Minnesota electorate, but in
idicative of the utter nsignificance of
the Cummins sentiment, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the "a delegates of
ithe state were instructed for the
Iowan.
t. r. Not on Primary Ballot.
Under the primary law citizens de-
String to be delegates were forced to
declare their presidential preferences.
'Fhey were further precluded from de-
rlaring for any one who had not filed
with the secretary of state a statement
of his purpose to be a candidate. Only
Cummins Estabrook of New York and
Chicago lawyer new to politics
named Webster had filed such decla-
rations and the aspiring politicians
naturally themselves 1OT
Cumnlins- The delegation really went
to the Iowan- by default. though L say
this with perfect knowledge of the
fact that his high personal character
and eminent public services have won
for him many sincere admirers here as
in other states.
1t is obvious that q delegation
chosen in that way will be subject to
many influences in the contention
The most sanguine Roosevelt men say
Of T4 laIa to-
upon whom they can rely when the
break comes. Anti-Roosevelt men ad-
nit that there are at least eight or
ten The Hughes element is con-
coded five. But conditions at Chicago
viii determine the vote of all, for the
aVoWed purpose of all is to select a
man upon whom all the Republicans
vii unite. There are no resentments
nor malignant memories to be served
~ the Minnesota delegation
Old Guard Talks.
81 talked today with a Republican
lHplitician who is a power in the state
he goes to the convention an alter
nate merely though he might readily
nave beenfa delegate and perhaps even
Ndelegate at large.
L,'These newspaper stories they are
<9nding out from Washington and
lew York about what the old guard
~ going to do to Roosevelt make me
4angh,' he said. I'm a guardsman
Myself. L was first in the fight for
tFaft in this state. I'm in correspond
,Shce now with many of what you
writer's call the old Republicans in the
east. But believe me we of the west
are not going to help them wreak any
revenge or pay off any old grudges.
] don't believe they have any such
purpose but if they have they will get
no aid from Minnesota or any of our
sneighbori states. We are going to the
convention ito ~pick a candidate who
will win. &c
I'm against Hughes because I don't
KNOW where he stands on public ques-
fions while. L. do know that on party
Questions he is the sort of man who
would leave the Republican party a
worse wreck after four years of his
administration than it is now after
the smashup of 1912.
Can't Win on a Two Spot
'.F1n against most of the favorite
sons because. as Jim Mann said, we
cant win this election with a two spot.
I'm for Roosevelt because 1 believe
him to be the strongest man before
the people on the issues of the day.
because the people of my state are for
HIM, because he is a reasonable man
always willing to consult with party
Readers. even those radically differing
with him. We can elect him over
Nhelmingly and we will know who we
are electing, which is not the case
with Hughes"
Tn The newspapers in these middle
states are filled with glazing reports
from New York and Washington on the
strength of Hughes, but when they
test out their own readers they find
f'the sentiment eInphatically pro-
Roosevelt. Moreover the determina-
ton of the delegates and voters in this
section of this country is emphatically
against the use of power of discipline
cry minority in the convention to
wreak revenge upon Roosevelt even
though success in the election shall