My dear Pfeiffer,—­I am acknowledging your note on the day when Ohio votes.  This is the critical day, for if T. R. wins more than half the delegation in Ohio, he is nominated and, I might almost say, elected.  But I find that the Democrats feel more sure of his strength than the Republicans do.  Have you noticed how extremely small the Democratic vote is at all of the primaries, not amounting to more than one-fourth of the Republican vote?

...  The Democrats are in an awkward position.  If Roosevelt is nominated, one wing will be fighting for Underwood, to get the disaffected conservative strength, while the other wing will be fighting for Bryan, so as to hold as large a portion of the radical support as possible.  Oh, well, we have all got to come to a real division of parties along lines of tendency and temperament and have those of us who feel democratic-wise get into the same wagon, and those who fear democracy, and whose first interest is property, flock together on the tory side.  As always, yours,

FRANKLIN K. LANE

TO GEORGE W. LANE

Washington, July 2, 1912

My dear George,—­I am off tomorrow for Baddeck, Cape Breton, where I shall probably be until the 1st of September or thereabouts—­if I can endure that long period of country life and absence from the political excitement of the United States.

It looks, as I am writing, as if Wilson were to be nominated at Baltimore.  If he is he will sweep the country; Taft won’t carry three states. [Footnote:  Taft carried Vermont and Utah.] Wilson is clean, strong, high-minded and cold-blooded.  To nominate him would be a tremendous triumph for the anti-Hearst people.  I have been over at the convention several times.  Hearst defeated Bryan for temporary chairman by making a compact with Murphy, Sullivan and Taggart. ...  Bryan has fought a most splendid fight.  I had a talk with him.  He was in splendid spirits and most cordial.  The California delegation headed by Theodore Bell has been made to look like a lot of wooden Indians.  Bell himself was shouted down with the cry of “Hearst!  Hearst!”, the last time he rose to speak.  The delegation is probably the most discredited one in the entire convention. ...

My summer, I presume, will be put in chiefly in sailing a small yawl with Gilbert Grosvenor, rowing a boat, fishing a little, and walking some.  My diet for the next two months will consist exclusively of salmon and potatoes, cod-fish and potatoes, and mutton and potatoes.

I have just completed my report in the Express Case, a copy of which will be sent you.  It has been a most tremendous task, and the work has not yet been completed for we have to pass upon the rates in October; but I am in surprisingly good condition—­ largely, perhaps, because the weather has been so cool for the last month ...