The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-06-08

himself. always dramatizcs everybody
as being IUt"uSrly friendly 10 hun or
, lLtcnscly hostile 10 him. The truth Is
that the leaders and many Of the dele
Tor the presidency with as complete q
detachment from personal feeling OF
any kind as they look upon Wood or
I.owdcn or anybody else.
Not only az respects johnson. but
also as respects the whole situation.
nothing has happened hat j. dramatic
"r decisive. Indeed. what most impress
les your CORES p0ndrnt - how ""mpd"t,-
~ things are following out III" channels
IN which they started in the beginning.
Far from being abnormal or novel. the
situation is conspicuuuSly normal and
usual II is conspicuously what was 10
DO expected.
Dark Horss Stin Possible
For example. II was stated ia the
, Evening Post rs long ago as carly Frp,
ruary that Wood and LOwd"n wnu;h
enter tho conN eulon having each with
in IS or geo delegates and mat Jnlr,
son wtuld have between 100 and 10.
The fact is that after all the ups ami
downs OF 4 period OF four months thSsS
figures and these proportions remain '"-
day within ten percent OF correct.
on the same occasion It was stated
that the nomination might win equal
readiness go TO onG ~ ines" Tire ~
10 "A dark horse. That also remains as
true today as II was then
Many forecasts and estimates are
given out ~ 10 tho number OF votes
each OF the candidates viii nave on the
first ballot. Most OF these are mauvh u"
il particularly rcntuTesome 10 Try 10
estimate how the early ballots viii
fall.
Of the managers. and more 10 what -
likely to be their future strategy, not
all OF candidates full strength viii
necessarily be shown on the hrst ballot.
Lowden. for example. has pursued a
states which have favorite sons. HIS
policy in those states has been 10 play
for those delegates for second choice
aSsr favorite sons have been cltminat-
cd. The result Of this and other moves
OF strategy Is that not all OF the Low
den strength will be shown on the first
ballot.
shown on the first ballot Indeed. II
seems quite possible TO your CORE.
spondent that on the firsi ballot John.
and may stand second TO Wood.
How FIRST Ballot May hun.
This would seem sensational TO read
crs who have been accustomed to think
ing OF Johnson as q low third in the
race but that outcome would not be
surprising. nor would II alter the fact
that Johnson Is at this moment still
third In the race.
Subject to things that the candidates
and their managers may do out OF mo-
lveS OF strategy. IL would seem not UNI
reasonable 10 forecast that on the first
ballot Would should have upward OF
$50 delegates, Lowden about lT5 and
Johnson close to the same number.
II still remains true that Lowdcn and
Wood are the leading candidates and
that one OF the first situations which
must arise in the convention will be
tug Of war between these two. In that
tug OF war. when It arrives at equill-
brium. II Is fairly clear that Wood will
have more delegates than LowdPr. But
lt is possible for Wood to have many
more delegates than Lowden and still
not have enough TO nominate him.
Whether Wood will win, or whether
the anti-Wood forces will prevent him
from winning in that first tug Of war.
Is a question that can only await the
! event. II Wood wins at that time. OF
course. it Is all over. II he Is prevent
ed from winning. then will come the
question Of whether Lowden Is to be
! given the prize, or whether those who
have the balance of power prefer TO take
the nomination into the field Of the
minor candidates and the dark horses
That IL tho point at which comes
what politicians call the break" Up To
that point II Is not difficult to make
reasonable forecast Beyond that point
forecasts are utterly futile.