Roanoke Rapids herald., 1924-01-18

re to be several contestants In the
race for the prizes? They say. thai
with competing candidates. party issues
car be thraslied out and definite
kIowledge can be obtained as 10 how
far compromises must 20 in The con
ventions in order 10 produce harmony
in the campaign and 10 cement strong
ly enough ;he bonds of fellowship to
make them stick until after the e!ec-
ton.
Some of the Republicans particular
ly seem to think that II was alto
sether too much to expect that the
President should be given straight
away unbroken course to the noinina-
ton. They knew, of course, that Sena-
tor LaFollette would be an entry, but
already they had discounted his dele
gate accomplishment in the contest.
One of the leading Republicans has
told me thlt the entrance of Senator
johnson inio the race has removed
one anxiety over the possible course
OF the extreme progressives in the
party. This Republican probably
thinks he is voicing his colleagues
MAN, who is not known as being as
extremely progressive as LaFollette.
will get the support of many men who
if he were not in the field might feel
that they must give adherence to the
man advancing the Wisconsin idea.
INh
How did 1t happen that Frank ii.
Hitchcock. became the director of the
fortunes of Hiram w. Johnson? The
story is, and it seemingly is true, that
before Senator johnson said word
to Mr. Hitchcock about campaign di-
recting he had learned that the east
erner had been in thirty states of the
Union making close study of preser
party conditions
The denctions which the former
postmaster general made, 1t Is said,
seemed to Senator johnson to he of
value. and moreover it Is declared that
they gave him hope of greater strength
In the contest than he had believed it
was possible for him to secure Seem
ingly, therefore, Hitchcock, having
learned some things, and having pre-
sented them, was given the reward Of
merit, although 1t is understood he did
not ask it and that the offer which
came to him from Senator Johnson
was spontaneous and voluntary.
Some time has passed since most Of
the members of the Republican ma
tional committee left these diggings,
and seemingly there has been a
strengthening of the first feeling that
the action increasing the numbers of
the southern state delegates to the
national convention may have been in
tended to nelp the President. 1t Is
declared by some Republicans, how
ever, that tie President had nothing
to do with the matter and that the
concessions to the South were made
solely because of the scare which re-
Gently had been thrown into northern
Republicans by the attitude of the
colored voters In many of the indus
trial centers this side of the Mason
and Dixon line.
Threat Of Negroes in the North.
1t has been said In Washington
definitely that threats were made to
the Republicans who are to stand for
office in the fall that if the colored
men in the South were not looked
after the colored men of the North
would know what to do. Whether
everything that is said is true or not,
it does look little as if the timdity
of the Republicans in the northern
cities was responsible for the increase
the southern representation and for
the probable revival of an old con-
troversy.
Frank H. Hitchcock always has been
supposed to be power in Republican
circles in the South. He has been
credited on several occasions with
bringing horne the bacon. There may
be more myth than fact In the case,
but Senator Johnson's manager holds
his name as producer Of southern
delegate results.
This ar, however, 1t seems fully
to be expected by party men that the
southern delegates will be for Presi.
dent Coolidge. The tendency Of the
Republicans in districts where they
are few in numbers whether the dis
tricts are in the North or in the South.
Is to stand by the administration. for
it Is the administration which con-
trcls the gifts Of office.
Attempts have been made to show
connection between the action of the
Republica-. rational committee and the
reference to the colored race made in
President Coolidge's message to con.
gress. 1t takes a rather vivid imagin-
alton, however, to trace the result to
any such cause.