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Show "ROPING" AND "TYING" THE DELEGATES. DEL-EGATES. At least It can be said that the Taft movement has made not the slightest slight-est prcteuso of being based upon public pub-lic sentiment. Its own political and newspaper supporters have furnished the facts upon which the antl-Taft peoplo base their criticisms. The foremost Eastern newspaper supposing suppos-ing Mr Taft Sb tho New York Times, and Its Washington correspondent has written wholly from that standpoint In his dally specials. It la significant, therefore, that the Times of February 15 should have made tho following statement. And whllo tho battle of tho claimants now goes on merrily, the Taft forces expect to rope and tie the dolegatos from tho Southern States. In accordance accord-ance with (he plans on which tho havo be.cn working for some lime, practically all tho Southern conventions conven-tions are to bo held before the end of next month. If thoro is anv ground Bwell for Roosevelt working about tho country, the Taft manugors mean to have their Southern delegates thoroughly thor-oughly fastened heforb It can got timo to exert its lufluenco on them. This Btateinent, of course. Is a8 true us It Is brutallv frank. When theso "roped" and "tied" bunches of delegates dele-gates nppcar In the Chicago convention, conven-tion, It Ik a question whether their service may not chiefly be that of a warning against the methods that must be reformed If tho party Is to hold the confidence and respect of tho country. coun-try. They may prove to bo an "ex- |