The Detroit times., 1916-06-26
WHO'LL GET
MOOSE VOTE
is PROBLEM
Much Depends On T.
RS Ability to Line
1t Up For Hughes
BY gibson GARDNER.

become OF the Progressive party's
voter
This Ia the most important ques.
tion In tho political situation.
VIII It 90 10 Hughes
VIII It go to Wilson?
VIII II stay at home2
Will Il divide up7 And in what
proportions?
How much OF It can Roosevelt dc.
llver7
VIII he try hard 10 deliver IL?
Beginning at the end. let me pre-
dict that Roosevelt will try 10 de.
liver the Progressive vote to
Hughes. In my talks with the col
oncl before the conventions al.
ways found him adamant on the ne.
cessity for defeating Wilson.
Before the conventions knew
that. II Hughes were nominated,
Roosevelt would support him-this
conditioned on Hughes declaration
OF acceptance being satisfactory
Others knew how Roosevelt felt. and
II was the carrying OF this informa-
tion 20 the Republican convention
bosses that made them disregard
the threat OF Roosevelt as a COM
peting candidate The men who
did the carrying were trusted
friends OF Roosevelt Their names
are no secret.
Equally reliable information came
10 the Republican bosses that
Hughes would accept the nomination
and would have his telegram OF ac-
ceptance and his resignation from
the supreme court. ready TO trans
NIT at once TO the convention.
Former President Taft, who called
on Justice Hughes the day before
the convention nominated, Is under.
stood TO have brought the final word
as TO what Hughes would do.
Thus the Republican convention
thing. while the poor Progressives
were merely a lot OF bleating lambs
gathered for the shearing by their
self.appointed shepherd, George W.
Perkins.
But this is merely interesting his.
tory. The question everybody now
asks is:
What will be the consequence?
Part Of the answer is as follows:
Eight or 10 Progressives were for
merly Republicans. and when their
own party has collapsed, their drift
will be back TO that party.
There are two ot I0-and maybe
more-who will 0e irreconcilable.
Their Progressivi.ym means so much
TO them they never again can assO.
clate themselves with the forces "
reaction They will become Demo.
Gratis or Socialists, or they will not
vote at all.
Will this insure Hughes election?
Not necessarily.
Remember how the votes fell four
years ago. Wilson. 100000; Roose.
welt, 100000; Taft, 3.OOO,oOO Thesc
were the round numbers
The total Of the Taft and Roose-
welt vote would be 100000. Just
n million more than enough 10 de-
feat Wilson
How defeat Wilson?
what more simple?
Wipe out the Progressive party.
and poll all tho Progressive and Re
publican votes for the opposition
candidate.
Note the "all."
Suppose fifth OF the Pro.
gressive vote is irreconcilible. Sup
pose a million OF the 100000 Pro.
gressives decline to be delivered TO
the Barnes. SmootPenrose combina-
tion. even by Brother Perkins and
Col. Roosevelt.
The answer would be Wilson's
election anyway.
| have no desire TO plunge thus
early into prophecy 1t is not nee
essary But II will interest those
who are interested in the country's
welfare to see that the bag has not
been sewed up and weighted with a
brick. The cat is still at liberty to
jump.
II | were placing a small bet at
the present time. and we're placing
II on the basis of political FORM"
that small bet would be laid on
Wilson.
or course. this goes only for ''the
present time"