Evening star., 1916-05-14
With Convention Three Weeks
Away, Party Leaders Still
Are at Sea.
ADVANCE SLATE UNLIKELY;
VERDICT WITH DELEGATES.
Agreement General That Col. Roose-
velt's Voice Will Be Potent
in Decision.

Three weeks from next Wednesday
the republican national convention
will assemble in Chicago to nominate
a presidential ticket. No man in the
leadership or high councils of the re-
publican party can say today who will
be the successful candidate or who has
comma nding lead in the contest
among the dozen or more avowed sug-
gested candidates
There are instructed delegates for
| some of them: uninstructed but sup
posedly favorable delegates for sew
eral and sentiment as yet uncrystal-
lized. for others. The uninstructed
delegates hold the balance of power
in the convention. The favor of
Theodore Roosevelt is expected to be a
factor of great weight in the final de-
termination, and nobody can foretell
his choice.
Advance Slate improbable
1t is not considered probable that
slate" can be made up in advance of
ed upon any candidate until the great
body of uninstructed delegates are
consulted and the leaders canvass the
qualifications of the respective candi-
dates.
Messrs. Weeks. Burton, Cummins,
Fairbanks and Root will go into the
convention with the greater number
of instructed delegates. Justice Hughes
is expected to show important strength
in the uninstructed delegations. al
though he is not a declared candidate
and it is not known to a certainty that
he would accept if nominated.
His friends feel that they are at a
disadvantage in this situation of in
determination, but are relying upon
the undercurrent of Hughes senti-
ment" to sweep him into the lead at
the outset and in the end nominate
him. The friends of the avowed candi-
dates make no concealment of their
apprehension of the strength embodied
in this, as yet submerged, sentiment.
Early Nomination Expected.
The best judgment OF some of the
leaders is that there will not be a pro-
longed deadlock. They say that If Mr..
Hughes is not nominated early in the
balloting it behooves them to decide
quickly upon a candidate, for. in their
opinion, a deadlock would enhance the
chances of an attempted stampede to
Roosevelt
II is said that each of the avowed
candidates realizes that he will have
no clear field until Mr.. Justice Hughes
is eliminated from the lead in the vot-
ing. The movement in behalf of the
nomination of Justice Hughes is not
ORGANIZED and has no recognized lead
err 1t rests upon the latent belief OBJ
tanning in many sections of the country
that Mr.. Hughes would be a winner
at the polls
In the ranks of the "favorite son"
candidates are known to be many dele
gates who will flock to Mr.. Hughes as
soon as the chances of their own hero
field" word coined to describe the
avowed candidates fighting for their
own hand against the Hughes "senti-
ment' will be to hold their ranks in.
tact and through their combined
strength prevent Mr.. Hughes name
from receiving a majority. How long
they can continue to do this after the
second ballot no one now ventures to
predict.
Roosevelt Not Gaining.
The past week brought no develop
ments indicating that Col. Roosevelt
was gaining strength as a prospective
candidate. Work is being done for him.
publicity through extensive advertis-
ing being a notable feature. but it must
be borne in mind that 500 of the ss5
delegates have already been chosen.
Out of that number the most liberal
estimate comedies less than 100
lstraieht-out Roosevelt delegates and
some estimates run as low as 65 A
stampede to Roosevelt is believed to be
ont of the question. unless possibly as
resul, of a prolonged deadlock.
In the opinion of some OF the big men
in the republican leadership the only
way in which the colonel could be
nominated would be through the delib-
crate judgment of practically the
unanimous leadership of the republican
marty that his nomination was the only
way out of difficulties at this time un-
foreseen.
One of the developments of the last
week was an increase in the Fairbanks
talk His stock went UP on reports that
Col. Roosevelt was inclined to regard
him with favor. Another incident of
the week spurt in the Root
boom Despite denials to the contrary,
the feeling is said to be strong among
the rank and file that the efforts in be-
half of Mr.. Root are in effect, whether
by design or not, calculated to be ad-
verse to the plans of Mr.. Justice
Hughes supporters.
Harding May Hold Chair.
There is said to be plan under con-