THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11657, 12 June 1912, Page 4

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

MR TAFT'S PROSPECTS IMPROVE

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] (Per Press Association.) - Received June 11, at 9.20 p.m. New York, Ju nc 11., The Chicago Republican Convention has added 12 more contestant delegates to Mr Taft. MR TAFT'S VICTORY. MR ROOSEVELT PRESENTS HIM WITH EIGHT DELEGATES. (London Express' New Y'ork Correspondent.) After .a week of vituperative campaigning by Mr Roosevelt and Mr Taft among .■the" Massachusetts Republicans, Mr Taft has secured twenty-six.and Mr. Roosevelt ten of the State's thirty-six delegates to the Republican Presidential Convention. President Taft's nva,jority is due to voluntary renunciation by Mr Roosevelt,, for the result of the. ■elections, -as officially announced,; gave each of them eighteen.delegates. Mr Roosevelt's eighteen : included eigth socalled "delegates at- by all the Republicans in.the State,.w-hile the remainder were elected' by districts.

•■• Mr Roosevelt secured the delegates at large by .a- vote of 74,121 to 65,876. Several thousand ballots intended for Mr Taft, however, Avero thrown out because of a technical'defect. Mr Tafb declared that if it had not been for this, he would have won. It is unknown exactly how many of Mr Taft's votes were thus lost, but his managers pointed out that the ballot papers, besides carrying the names of rival delegates, contained a. provision registering the Presidential preference bv the total popular vote, and this vote stood: Mr Taft. 74,808; Mr Roosevelt, 71,203; Mr La Folletto, 1756. Hence tho delegates at large, representing the State, as a whole, should vote for Mr Taft, despite the fact that Mr Roosevelt's delegates at large secured-a. majority of votes. Mr Roosevelt declared this afternoon that this (reasoning was right, and telegraphed to the delegates, at large to vote for Mr Taft in the convention. This adoption of the "square: deal" policy to his own disadvantage has followed a campaign of great bitterness 1 . Mr Roosevelt and Mr Taft have been touring Massachusetts each trying to outrival the .other in condemnatory language. President Taft accused' Mr Roosevelt of being ambitious to become President for life and of being a dangerous Radical. Mr Roosevelt accused the President of trying to kill popular government. The spectacle of a President and an ox-President personally, campaigning against each other with such bitterness is without precedent. It has.beeri made all the more extraordinary by the fact that two members of Mr Roosevelt's former Cabinet are siding with Mr Taft. and three are siding with Mr Roosevelt.

Massachusetts is represented' in the Federal Senate by Senator Lodge, _ the only former mutually intimate! friend of Mr Taft and Mr Roosevelt who has remained loyal to both. Senator Ledge has not participated in the campaign. He was called Athos. Senator Root Aram is, President Taft Portlios, and Mr Roosevelt's d'Ar,tagnan during Mr Roosevelt's last term as President because of their intimacy.