New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
RUMORS OF TREACHERY.
Long Delay an Issuing Call for Re.
publican National Convention.
lFRoN THE TRIBUNE BUREAU. ]

/ parently authentic rumor involving treachery to
PRESIDENT Roosevelt. If not to the national COM
/ mittee ITSELF on the part of the executive com
| nlttee or that organization in circulation
at the Capitol to-day. From sources usually
regarded as trustworthy the information
that the reason the unprecedented delay In
issuing the call for the Republican National
| Convention due to an effort on the part OF
the executive nittee TO find an excuse for so
altering the call as 20 preclude the possibility OF
selecting delegates for the respective Congress
| districts and make necessary instead the
election of all delegates "at large"
The delay in itself is already the occasion OF
surprise and annoyance to numerous State or
/ CARNATIONS. and unless the call is issued i'm
nedtately serious Inconvenience must ensue: but
the proposition change the form of the call
and defeat the desire of the party that the usual
method of selecting delegates be pursued will. if
carried out. create widespread Indignation
| Such a proposition is characterized with reser-
vation attempt to control certain delega-
| tions which would normally cast their votes for
| the President in the forthcoming convention.
/ and If persisted in result in TO the
! knife.
1t is known that in Ohio Senator Foraker viii
control certain delegates provided the selection
/ is by Congress districts. but their selection as
delegates at large might materially alter tho
course Of events. and similar situation prevails
! in other States.
| 1t is not believed by Senators and others who
| are supposed to have thorough knowledge oc
| the rules of Republican conventions that any
! justification for such a course can be found by
the executive committee. although there is 4
possibility that some resolution comforting such
| power on the committee may have been unwit-
tingly adopted by the committee. as was the
case with the resolution which confers on the
chairman CT the national committee the power
| to fill any vacancies which may occur
| In any event. should the national COMMITTEES
determine to take the course outlined. 1T will
! meet with the strongest opposition. There Is
every reason to believe that not only the lead.
ers but the rank and file of the party, would
resent such an attempt to defeat the popular;
will and would seek redress in one form or an
other.
Postmaster General Payne. vice-chairman OF
the National Committee. declared to-day that
there could be no truth in the rumor, because
he as vice-chairrnan. had heard nothing or II.
On the other hand. 1t is maintained that other
members of the committee would readily appre-
ciate the delicate position in which they wou1
place Mr. Payne by informing him Of such .,
pIan and would naturally refrain from taking,
! him into their confidence while he remained =
member of Mr.. Roosevelt's Cabinet
Sufficient Importance is attached 70 the rumos'
to cause Senator Penrose TO withhold the CALI
for the Pennsylvania State Convention. and the
call already prepared. but not sent out. stnf
lies on the desk OF Major Andrews, secretary
OF the Republican State Committee. Meanwhile
Senator Penrose has ordered complete search
of the proceedings OF Republican conventions.
and has gone to Philadelphia tonight. presuma-
bly, to consult Senator Quay and other leaders
OF the party in his State.
1t is five weeks since the meeting OF the
National Committee. and call for the Ma
tionaI Convention has been issued. although
Senator Hanna has received numerous messages
and letters from party leaders in all parts OF
the country urging expedition
! Postmaster General Payne explains that al
though such delay Is entirely unprecedented. the
call having been issued within week on al
previous occasions. it is perfectly natural IS
Chairman Hanna and Secretary Heath have
been very busy. The Postmaster General fur
ther AYERS that the call is merely formality
and of no vital Importance.
Some of the Presidents most earnest support
rrs however do not take this view of the case
They say that the course Of the Pennsylvania
| Republicans in calling as they expect to. the
State Convention in advance of the issue Of the
national CALL is irregular. and. were there rival
faction in the field. might lead TO the calling OF
a subsequent convention. the selection Of sec
ond delegation and contest which would be
| decided by the more powerful element IN the
National Convention. Whlie Jne virtue OF DCtllss
the more regular would lie with the delegation
selected pursuant to the national call. Nc such
danger Is apprehended in Pennsylvania, whers
the party organization Is characterized by COM
plete harmony. but there are States where such
embarrassing circumstances might arise
Massachusetts will soon follow the example OF
| PENNSYLVANIA and call it's State convention with
| out waitine, fo- the national CALL and there is
| believed to be no danger Of complications there:
nevertheless the delay is pregnant with the pos
| sibiIities of confusion and contests in the na-
| tionaI convention
| The laws in States are very explicit re-
| garding the preliminary advertising OF a State
| convention II Is customary TO give this ad-
| vertisine to the weekly papers. and that COM
| pels time enough for several weekly issues The
| time is already growing short. and il is easy To
| conceive how further delay may contribute to
technical defects in State calls, advertising and
| other details and thus contribute TO the Hkeii-
] hood of contesting delegations
| Under these circumstances the patience or tne
| Presidents friends is fast becoming exhausted
/ and great pressure will be exerted on the ex-
| ecutive committee to issue the call immedla1eS'
| and i'm the usual form. within the next rev
| days