Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1912 — GREAT BATTLE IS ON AT CHICAGO [ARTICLE]

GREAT BATTLE IS ON AT CHICAGO

Republican National Convention Is Called to Order. ROLL CULL BRINGS SKIRMISH Root Named by Committee for Temporary Chairman—Senator Borah Is Presented by Roosevelt Men In Opposition.

Chicago, June 18.—Shortly after noon today Victor Rosewater of, Nebraska, chairman of the Republican national committee, called the delegates to the national convention in the Coliseum hall to order and the great battle for the nomination for president between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt was on. So soon as a semblance of order was had Rev. James F. Callahan of Chicago Invoked the blessing of God upon the labors of the delegates in a two-minute prayer. This ended, Fred W. Upham in a few words presented Chairman Rosewater with a 1 gavel on behalf of the Chicago convention committee. First Skirmish Is Begun. Chairman Rosewater then announced that the national committee had determined upon Ellhn Root, United States senator from New York, aa temporary chairman and asked that the committee's action be concurred in by the convention. This brought about the first skirmish of the battle. A Roosevelt delegate will move that the name of Senator William H. Borah of Idaho be substituted for that of Elihu Root. Chairman Rosewater will direct Secretary William Hayward of the committee to call the rolL Alabama is the first state on the list. The Ninth district delegatus were seated for Taft by the national committee. Roosevelt supporters challenged the vote of the Alabama Ninth district men and the fight over the seating of the delegates by the committee was tyider way. May Hold Two Conventions. Revolutionary political plans are in the making by the Roosevelt army. Two conventions are assured unless the Taft army fails to hold its ground and la unable to perfect the temporary organization of the Convention, say those on the firing line. The Roosevelt field generals have announced a fight from the drop of the gavel. It is to be a move to refuse to recognize the temporary roll call of the convention as made up by the Republican national committee. This is something unheard of in Republican national conventions. It means the Roosevelt followers will leave the convention unless they control it, say the Taft directors-generaL The president’s managers follow this op by asserting they will have to leave the hall in that event, for the Taft men declare they will be able to organize the convention at least. Roosevelt Directs Fight. CoL Roosevelt, personally directing his camp followers with the aid of “Fighting Bill” Flinn, George W. Perkins, Medill McCormick and others, 1 laid this plan of campaign and se- , 1 acted Senator William E. Borah of , Idaho as the Roosevelt candidate for temporary chairman of the convention to match against Senator Elihu Root of New York, who was selected for temporary presiding officer by the Taft leaders. Challerge Roll at Start. It is the Roosevelt plan, according to the leaders, to demand of Victor Rosewater, chairman of the Republic can national committee, that all delegates seated by the national committee during the recent hearings before that body should be unseated in favor of the Roosevelt delegates. At the same time it is the Roosevelt plan to move the contested delegates

complained of shall not oe permuted to vote on the issue raised on the ground that they would be acting as Judges in theiv own cases. j Some Seek Third Candidate. A big element in delegate strength 1 | 1-s reported to be hoping for a chance ' to S\*!tch to a third candidate. Two Taft delegates from Pennsylvania, ! Congressman William W. Griest and William H Keller, are ready, it is r-aid, to start a new candidate move- | ment. They favor Justice Hughes,; Senator Root or Robert T Lincoln. They do rot believe either Taft or Roosevelt would win in November. A Hughes boom is under, way among New York delegates. 11 President Taft would give the word it is said the Hughes stock would soar. In some quarters it is contended the desertion of Timothy Woodruff to Roosevelt will add 16 votes-to Roosevelt strength from New Y’ork. Roosevelt Makes Last Appeal. East evening Colonel Roosevelt made his clo.-ing pre convention appeal to a crowd that filled the Auditorium. | Every one who entered was given a , small American flag. The decorations , °T the Auditorium consisted of flags , only, and the effect of the whole was that of a riot of national colors. When William Jennings Bryan entered the hall and took his seat at the press table he was loudly cheered. The first big demonstration came when the “Star Spangled Banner’’ was sung. Everybody stood up and Joined in. Then came the song of the West 1 Virginians, “They Are Calling From ', the Mountains.” ‘j Borah Is Introduced. ’ | In the midst of the song Senator ', Borah of Idaho appeared on the plat- * j form and received an ovation. | i “America" was sung, all standing. t j and then Senator Borah was Intro,j duced and made a brifef speech. ►J Rhea Colonel Roosevelt appeared, ► the crowd sprang to its feet, waving ►; flags and cheering wildly. The col- * onel bowed and smiled repeatedly and »| the ovation continued until the organ ►, swept into the strains of “My Coun- *, try. ’Tis of Thee.” *, At the conclusion of the hymn Mr. ‘ i Roosevelt delivered his speech. ; Committeemen Are Chosen. ( I Among the members of the commlt- , Tee on credentials selected at the state » caucuses are these: Illinois—Robert » McCormick; Indiana, J. A. Hemen- * way; lowa, J. A. Devitt; Michigan, * T. W. Attwood; Minnesota, H. T. Hal- ► bert. ► On resolutions—lllinois. W. F. * Bundy; lowa, G. D. Perkins; Indiana, * Charles Warren Fairbanks; Michigan, * William Judson; Minnesota, J. F Jacobsen. Delegates Hurt in Train Wreck. More than a score of men and women, among whom were members of the Georgia Taft delegation coming to the convention, were injured in a head-on collision between a passenger train on the Pennsylvania railroad and a train of empty coaches in the Pennsylvania yards in this city. The locomotives were pastly wrecked and windows in several coaches were shattered, flying glass being showered over the delegates. All the delegates are colored. Say Taft Is Confident. Washington, June 18.—Linemen have stretched wires Into the president's private office, connecting it dl-

rectiy with the convention hall in Chicago. White House visitors reported that the president appeared absolutely confident of the outcome of the convention, and this was supplemented hy the fact that the chief executive attended <he Washington-Philadelphia baseball game today with Secretary Knox as his guest.