Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1912 — DELEGATES TIRED OUT AND DESIDE TO RETURN HOME [ARTICLE]

DELEGATES TIRED OUT AND DESIDE TO RETURN HOME

Fireworks at Republican National Convention About Burned Out BOTH SIDES ARE FIRM Neither Warring Faction Willing to Surrender, and Fight Still Bitter. TALK OF DARK HORSE GROWS Because of Failure of .Credentials Committee to Report Short Sessions Are Held and Delegates Give Attention to Third Man on Whom All Can Unite Hadley and Hughes Are Mentioned.

By W. A. PATTERSON. Convention Hall, Chicago, June 20. —The fireworks of the Republican national convention are about burned out. For four days and nights more than 2,000 delegates and alternates have paraded the streets, have cheered and sang and yelled, have followed the kidding of their leaders, have fought and talked and argued, and today a great majority are look lng for a way to let go. The feeling engendered between the warring factions has become so bitter that neither side is willing to surrender to the other. Colonel Roosevelt and his followers can come no nearer securing control of the convention today than they did on Tuesday, when the Taft forces secured their first victory by the election of Senator Root as temporary chairman. At the Bame time President Taft and bis "followers are just where they were on'Tuesday. The small majority they showed on the first test vote is no greater now than It was then, and it 1b too small a margin upon which to risk a nominating vote.

Talk of Dark Horae. The talk last night was of a third man- —a dark horse. Some man who could command strength from both factions. During the afternoon of yesterday it was rumored that Colonel velt had released his delegates, and that President Taft had withdrawn. The rumor brought a sigh of relief from the fatigued delegates, but it was of short duration. The colonel issued an emphatic denial, and from the White House was wired an equally emphatic “no.” Colonel Roosevelt insists that he is contending for a principle and not necessarily a nomination. If the Taft delegates could be sufficiently assured of that fact, could be sure that after the point which tjie colonel has been contending for, the unseating of what he claims are illegally selected delegates, had been carried, and his forces thus placed in control of the convention, it would not take long for an agreement to be reached that would carry this hotly contested point, and the convention would be quickly over. Taft Men Afraid of Colonel. But the Taft delegates are afraid of the colonel, and unless he is willing to announce a clear and distinct withdrawal from the race for the nomination, the fight will be carried on to the bitter end. This fact was clearly demonstrated in the work of the committee on credentials yesterday and last night The light over each contested delegation was waged to the very limit, and the recriminations that have become such a marked feature of the gseat gathering increased rather than diminished ss state after state was taken up. That the Taft forces had absolute control of the committee was evidenced by the fact that each contested dentation was decided exactly as the national committee bad decided it. There were evidences of a compromise when the Roosevelt leaders announced a withdrawal of their contests in the cases of Louisiana, Indiana, West Virginia, Michigan and Mississippi, thus reducing the number of contested delegates to be passed upon from 78 contained in the Hadley motion of Wednesday to 80. But 80, or even half that number, would give the colonel control of the convention, and the Taft adherents would not yield a single point to himMany Delegate* Are “Broke.* Today the delegates are tired, mentally and physloally. Many of them are “broke.’* They want to go home, and would welcome an opportunity to end the cnaselass. and seemingly nse-

fees, grind and wrangle. They' nay* paid into the coffers of the Chicago hotel beepers and case proprietor* many a good dollar. They hare marched to the music of countless bands until their feet are blistered. They have carried banners until their backs ache, and both sides realise that not a vote has been changed. At four o’clock yesterday afternoon the convention met for the day's second session, but was again adjourned within three minutes in order to glv« the credentials committee more time. During that three minutes an effort was made to start a demonstration for Colonel Roosevelt, and the Taft leaders Immediately attempted to offset it with one for the president, but both failed. The Are had burned out. The pent-up enthusiasm the delegates had brought to Chicago with them to be expended In behalf of their favorites was gone. They wanted nothing but the privilege of getting to work, getting through, and getting home, but both sides show a bull dog tenacity in holding on until the compromise can be mutual, and both of the present contestants withdraw. Session Lasts Four Minutes. The first session lasted for four minutes. After Chairman Root had rapped the delegates to order Dean Walter T. Sumner offered a brief Invocation and Delegate Watson of Indiana moved a recess until four o'clock, which was carried. Mr. Watson's motion was: "Since the credentials committee is not yet ready to report and we cannot proceed with our business until the report is received, I move that the convention take a recess until 4 o’clock." The motion was put and carried without dissent. Who will be the ‘“dark horse" is the question today. A majority of the delegates can be united on any one of several men, among them Governor Hadley and Judge Hughes. Make Changes In Rules. With the exception of two radical -changes the miles that governed the national Republican committee four years ago were adopted by a vote of 22 to 6 by the committee on rules, One amendment provides that when any member of the committee bolts or refuses to support the nominee of the Republican party he shall be summarily deposed. Tho committee Is empowered to name his successor. In the past the successorshlp was dictated by the state central committee of the state affected. The rules committee, however, held that this would give to a state the opportunity to name to the vacancy a man holding precisely the same views as the member deposed. Therefore, it was decided that the power of appointment should be delegated solely to the committee itself. Recognize Primary Bystem. Recognition of the primary system of election of members of the committee w’as contained In an amendment providing that "when state laws provide for the election of a national committeeman, such election shall be considered a nomination to be carried into effect by the delegation from said state.” Under this change a state electing its national committeeman by direct primary vote would take from Its convention delegation entirely the right to name any other nominee. The adoption of thlß amendment, however, was not accomplished until the primary system had been severely criticized In debate. .