Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-19

cut your throat" suggested Lodge.
ITO decline the nomination would be
equally fatal"
Several other friends Of the governor
urged him to decline and after finding
that he was about equally advised on
both sides of the controversy he an
nounced that he would come to de-
clslon by four o'clock this afternoon.
The national republican committee
again decided to refer the principal
contests in the state of Alabama to
the convention to be Investigated by
the committee on credentials.
National Committee Adjourns.
After hours of sitting the national
committee concluded its ante-conven-
tion labors and adjourned sine die.
Aside from the action taken upon the
Alabama contest the most important
matter was the acceptance of the res
ignation of Colonel Swords as sergeant
alarms of the committee. The colon
el has held the position twelve years.
The delegates from Alaska and Hawaii
were admitted to seats.
Fight in Illinois Delegation.
There's hot fight on in the Illinois
delegation regarding the selection of
national committeeman. The factions
are divided on the lines that separated
the party in the recent gubernatorial
fight. The anti-Tanner men are head
ed by Graeme Stewart of Chicago, and
all are in favor of the choice of Stewart
as member of the national commit
tee, and the Tanner faction is fiercely
opposed to him. Backing Stewart are
the forces that were for Reeves and
Carter in the last state convention,
and they claim they have sufficient
votes to land Stewart on the national
committee. The Tanner men say they
can beat Stewart at any time they
decide on their man to beat him with.
Governor Tanner arrived last night and
is active in the fight against Stewart.
A caucus will be held tomorrow morn.
ing.
The candidate for vice-president is
Senator N. B. Scott, of West Virginia.
Scott was sought out by the Virginia
delegation, which today decided to
give him the support of her twenty
votes in the convention. The under
standing is that West Virginia will al
so throw her twelve votes to Scott.
Chairman Camant, of the Oregon del
egation, said today: 81 hope to have
the honor of placing in nomination for
vice. president Judge Tripp, of North
Dakota. Tripp and our delegation be-
lieve that Roosevelt should not b.
forced to take the nomination. Roose-
yelt will make a popular candidate,
however, but we believe that Judge
Tripp will be a stronger one in the
west.'
Governor Roosevelt came here strong
in his desire to decline the second
place on the ticket, and he had not
been here twenty-four hours before a
boom in his behalf was developed,
which resulted in the extinguishment
of all lesser lights.
In spite of all his declarations for
the last month OF two, Governor Roose-
velt kept quiet during the day, and his
closest friends say he will lie nominat-
led without a word from Kim. The
delegates and others admit this fact.
with the single saving clause that il
the administration does not like ii
the landslide can be checked, but not
otherwise.
Lodge Drops Long Boom.
|
Henry Cabot Lodge, who came here
to nominate Long, is booming Roose-
yelt as his personal friend. Delegates
from the west and south have caught
the Infection and unless there is anoth-
er rapid change in the situation the
leader of the Rough Riders will be
nominated by acclamation on Thurs
day, just as Mckinley will be put on
the ticket the day before.
| The friends of all other candidates
for vice president fully appreciate
the situation and are not making any
effort whatever to stem the tide
which has so suddenly turned in the
Roosevelt direction. Long, Bliss, Dol
liver, Fairbanks, Allison, and all othen
possibilities have been absolutely los,
sight of for the time being.
Flockins to Roosevelt.
The Roosevelt boom is not merely
hotel gossip, as the "tip" seems tc
have been spread thru all the delega.
tions and among some of the strong
party leaders. So rapid has the change
come that administration leaders seen
to be somewhat staggered by it, al
tho they must have anticipated it al
along.
Disinterested men from variou.
states freely admit that Roosevelt will
bring more strength to the ticket thar
almost any other man, and hence they
are quite willing to see him nominated
as political eXpediency, If for nc
other reason.
Delivers friends, in particular, have
quietly dropped their candidate so long
as Roosevelt is in the field, but it is The
general belief that if the New Yorl
governor manages to arrest the land
slide, or if he has that office perform
ed for him by the administration lead
ers, the trend will undoubtedly be to