Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1912 — Convention Impressions. [ARTICLE]

Convention Impressions.

I went, I saw and 1 was overcome. The state convention for the selection of four delegates at large to the republican national convention to be held in Chicago on June 18 th was probably the most contentious com vention ever held by the republicans in Indiana and the intense partisanship the delegates displayed forecasts a later settlement thRNs certain to prove disastrous to republican national success and to create dissentions in the state that may destroy the otherwise excellent prospects of victory. ~21. The writer went to the state convention wearing a Taft button four years old and with his faith unshaken in the probity of the great man at the bead of our nation. Our confidence in President Taft has been created by some knowledge of his public life and by the belief that he is a man of great ability, of great power and what is of equal importance, of perfect integrity. During bis entire public life we have never been able to find a taint of dishonor nor a suggestion of corruption. But I might get too far away from the purpose of these lines if I undertook to make it an eulogy of Mr. Taft. That Was not my intention, but I first de sired Jo make it clear that I was thoroughly conscientious in iny support of the Taft cause. I have said publicly that I would not recognize the attitude of Theodore Roosevelt in opposing Taft and that is also a feeling with which I was enveloped when I went to the state convention. My ardency for Taft was thus augmented with a bit of antipathy for Theodore Roosevelt and with this feeling I entered into the spirit of the caucus that planned Taft control of the district and also into the district caucus that selected the members of the convention committee. The latter meeting was held in Room 120 at the state house. It was called to order by District Chairman Thomas,, of Monticello, who announced the purpose of the caucus and called for nominations for permanent chairman. Charles Preston, of Monticello, moved that Mr. Thomas be madel>ermanent chairman. He stated the motion and following a tumult of “ayes” and “noes” declared Mr. Thomas elected. A nomination was then made to have John Mavity, of Valparaiso, act as permanent secretary. 'He was opposed by a man named Myers, who was proposed by the Roosevelt forces. I was made temporary secretary to call the roll by counties and the result gave a victory for the Taft slate by the vote of 73 to 47. r 77 .7. There was a lot of talk about credentials and some of the Roosevelt supporters from Tippecanoe county were alleging crookedness and asserting that there were a majority of Roosevelt people in the room but when the vote was taken and counted there was no room left for protest, except that some thought Chairman Thomas should have brought the matter to an issue before he accepted the permanent chairmanship. Following the caucus, the Jasper county bunch, which had amicably adjusted its vote, went to a show, retired early, that is for a delegate crowd, and were on hand ready for the convention, Tuesday morning.

William L. Taylor, our first choice for governor, who had been selected as the man for permanent chairman of the convention, saw what Was coming, and had business in Chicago, lie said he had and we should like to believe him and do ordinarily but the brewing trouble was a good excusetoy dodging the chairmanship and may save some later embarrassment. Will R. Wood, of Lafayette, was determined upon in his stead and set

in upon the Job with enthusiasm. He was a firm Taft supporter and his address to the convention started with some praise of republican principles and accomplishments and he asserted his confidence that the purpose of the party was ever for progress and be asked if, In view of the splendid record we should condemn Taft? The Taft supporters were quick to respond with “No, no,”' while the Roosevelt enthusiasts interpreted the praise of Taft as a personal Insult ‘and began crying out for “Teddy, Teddy,” and tuniult continued for more than a half hour. Every time that Senator Wood undertook to speak, the yelling was renewed. He stood his ground unflinchingly, once in awhile stretching out his hand ns if to speak and that was a signal that started those who opposed him to a bedlam of noise. Finally, Horace Stillwel, of Anderson, a Roosevelt man, mounted the platform and appealed to the convention to hear Wood out. There was a semblance of order then but Mr. Wood could not be heard twenty feet away, and most of the delegates did not know that the latter part of his speech bad reference only to democratic mismanagement in the state. Then came the report of the committees, the Taft forces making the majority and the Roosevelt forces the minority reports. The most important was the credentials committee. The majority report seated the Marion delegation and the minority report contested the seating of this delegation, alleging frauds in the selection of the delegates. James E. W.itson moved to lay the minority repo.t on the table and here the test of strength in the convention came to a vote. The roll of counties was called and each vote was anounced amid spasms of cheers and groans. The Marion county vote was accepted and the consequence was the rejection of the minority report by the vote of 772 to 667. Since the Marion county delegates were allowed to vote on the question affecting their own right to seats and since with that vote eliminated the Roosevelt forces would have won, is a question in parliamentary practice that will be made the basts of an appeal to the national convention by the Roosevelt supporters. It is also a question on which some of the ardent Taft supporters might have held contrary views had they known before hand that the Marion contested delegates were to be counted. That was virtually all there was to the convention, for following that test of strength all Taft motions were thereafter approved by an “aye” and “no” vote. This included the passing of the resolutions and the declaring elected as national delegates, James E. Watson, J. D. Oliver, Chas. W. Fairbanks and Harry 8. New. , That was all there was to the convention proper and as the great body of delegates passed out of Torn! Inson hall, several Roost?,elt delegates mounted ihe;r seats and shouted time after tim.» for all Roosevelt delegates to remain. And many did remain and conducted a “rump” convention, naming another set of delegates, The above is just what happened as we saw U.

My faith in Taft is unshaken; my opinion of Roosevelt unchanged; my hope for republican- success under either bsnner Is intense. But I should sooner have met the Roosevelt delegates on a compromise basis and given them two of the four delegates and have avoided the entaglementa certain to ensue. •• There can be no doubt that there is a Strong Roqsevelt sentiment No matter whether or not H appeals to us as Just to Taft or whether we can not reconcile ourselves to the third term policy, there are many who can see nothing but Roosevelt and we are confronted with a situation that seems certain to defeat either of the candidates if they are nominated. We do not wish to set oat oar opinion in a manner that will prove either offensive or embarrassing to our cltentetle and as we stated in a former issds, the nominee of the party will be oar candidate, but It looks now as though the embitterness engendered in Indiana is such that the nomination of either Taft or Roosevelt will mean democratic supremacy. Realizing that our patrons are divided in feeling we shall hereafter undertake to maintain a position of neutrality as between the candidates and we hope that Jasper county rer publicans will commit no folly that will keep them from supporting any man nominated at £he national convention.