Show TAFT THE DIAN walter wellman thinks secretary of 0 war will wih win hands down BY WALTER WELLMAN so great is the probability of judge tafts tafta nomination for president by the chicago convention that wo are almost it if not quite justified in regarding it as a foregone conclusion is also a great probability that the nomination will bo be made on the alist ballot the one element of senous set buus doubt as to the outcome lies in the possibility of an upheaval for president roosevelt for a second elective term fairly full and accurate information as to the political situation in all parts of the country secured during my recent western tour and since emco returning to washington lengthens sti eng the belief formed taso ti 0 ago that I 1 luft aft is to win but that if tatt taft for any reason ia 13 not nominated the president will be ignoring for the present the latter as one of those vague possibilities which it is impossible to measure the situation as it has developed and as it is rapidly developing along certain lines points unmistakably to the nomination of judge taft that theio is opposition to taft and to the president we all know I 1 have made diligent inquiries as to the facts which led the opponents of the leading candidates to believe he can be beaten and tho the result is not reassuring from their standpoint their claims do not stand scrutiny their generalizations are strong but their details are weak when we come down to the practical question of votes which are to defeat taft these opponents cannot make a satisfactory showing it is ia not my business to boom anyone for president I 1 am not doing so BO it is my business to ascertain tho the facts the best I 1 can and give them to my readers no matter what sort of outcome they may indicate when I 1 ask the men who are opposing opp taft for a statement in detail of itlie base of their hope that taft can cabb ie e beaten they reply it is too early to give figures dot but in my judgment itis notton early for figures public sentiment and political action have bave already gone so far that in ina a great part of the country ne I 1 know ft now how the votes vote 3 a aro r 0 to b be 0 aligned almost as well as we ishall ahall know a month or two months hence prest dent making is our great national game and enery foai years we all delight to take a hand in it we read with avidity all news that tends tenda to foreshadow the outcome the well informed friends of judge tuft taft believe that ho he will go to the chicago convention A ith votes or within of the nomination viewed in cold blooded analysis without any favoritism or coloring whatsoever the situation promises prom ibes nothing else than the nomination of taft on tho the first ballot but if lie he should fall fail on that bil b billot il lot and the political generals were to be ablo able to deadlock the convention for a considerable time even then taft would win or roosevelt be nominated as soon as the breakup break up occurred |