The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-15
ROOTS POPULARITY
SHOWN BY STIMSON
E1.Sccretary Of War Aston
ishcd by Suggestion Made
by Wickersham.
VOTE IN 1914 RECALLED

vi "at tISUTy IL WI |
scn took issue In a statement emanating
hon the campaign headquarters Of Elihu
foot Yesterday with former Attorney
General Wickershan = opinion. politi-
caiiy speaking. that Mr.. Root would not
make A strong candidate. Mr.. Stimson
pointed with sinificance to Mr.. Roots
returns IN the election OF delegates at
large TO the Constitutional Convention in
1914. when he ran against nan OF the
most prominent men in the state and
was Handicapped by an ~unfavorable
position on the ballot. said Mr.. Slim
con:
II am very much ~astonishcd that Mr..
wickcrsham should have suggested that
Mr.. Root was not strong with the voters
,hov lust the reverse.
mir. Root ran for the State INC OF
delegate at large to the constitutional
convention In this state in 1914. only
two wears ago. Among the other candi-
dates who ran against him were many
of tho most prominent men in New York
state. Including a former Governor. \
former chief Judge OF the Court Of APP
meals three former Cabinet officers of
mo United States. a ormer Ma yor OF
New York and of Brooklyn and the
mr.. siden, of the American Federation OF
I.abor. Mr.. Root was handicapped by
the fact that his naIne occupied a very
uriaycrablc position on the ballot. being
No. II among the fifteen Republican can
oids,cs.
"In spite Of this fact he defeated Judge
Morgan J. O'Rrier. the popular Demo-
cratic candidate. whose name was oppo-
sl,. his on the ballot. by n plurality Of
uo.533 votes. Hc defeated Judge Gull
-. -. ~, kfghrct nf all "A, Tho Damn.
cratic ticket. ny a plurality Of 1880
votes, iia defeated Samuel Goinpers.
head Of tho American Federation ~
Labor. who was consequently supported
hv a very strong labor vote, by more
,-sn 100000 votes.
M the same election the people OF
,hc state voted for seven state officers
and for a Urited states senator. The
names of these candidates we're on an
other ballot and thus other ballot natur-
ally concentrated the attention OF most
Of the voters az the state. rather a
The ballot containing III. candidates for
delegates to the Constitutional ConNen-
ton. In spite Of this fact Mr.. Root ran
ahead 81 nearly every candidate for these
important state offices. lie ran 10000
votes ahead OF the winning Lieutenant
Governor. lie ran 10000 votes ahead OF
tho winning Secretary OF state. lie ran
s'.''' I ii'ot " ~ 'N
urer and $4,000 votes ahead of the
United States senator.
III Mr.. Root had accepted a renomi-
nation for the United states Senate IN
1914 and had been elected by the people
we should have heard 10 talk now about
his being a weak candidate before tht
voters OF New York State. Yet that very
wear. after declining the nomination TOT
Senator, he thus ran nearly $4,000 votes
.A..l - slA ayt1,nNnp Ughn WAS elfcIpt
70 the United states senate by the eiec'
tora,~ AT the same election.
There are sixty-two counties IN New
York. In tventy-sevcn OF these MT. lioot
IN spite of his unfavorable position OF
the ballot. led all candidates for dele
gates At large of the Republican part.
and in seven other counties he stoo'
second. Ne other Republican caidida''
apnroached him in the number OF couh
.ics in which he ran at the head OF hi
ticket. In the great counties OF New
York and Kings where the Hearst Not
II. supposed to be particularly strong
Mr.. Root. running Oh the hepu"h,s'
tickle, alone. ran ahead of tho three ,te
yullicsns who had been Endorsed oE NY
Hearst's Independence League. IN ->e'
York and Kings MIR. Root ran AZ IN
head Of IN. Republican ticket pe'H'
,dusllcd only by seth Low, who had oeeI
orc MAYOR and twice Mayor or srooS
ivn. and whose name therefore was III
mos, familiar al all the candidates l
the citizens Of these two counties
MIR. Wick.rsham is a popular ci'lze
O, New York. yet Mr.. Root led MI VICE
.rshsm in forty OF the siNty-two Vour
tics and tied him in three o'he,s' .
only nineteen counties did MI "'NNe'
sham run ahead of Mr.. Root.
.r,kir- INTO consideration the RI
r.l.. ~ his election IA lglt. making "a