Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-18
MISSOURI PLEDGEO TO TAFT
COMMITTEE NEARLY UNANI-
NOUS IN ENDORSEMENT.
An Early Convention to Select Four
Delegates-at-Large in the Sec
retary's Behalf.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, December 1S.-Tne
Missouri republican state committee yes
terday afternoon Endorsed William II.
Taft for the republican nomination for
President and selected St. Louis for the
meeting place of the state convention, to
be held February q, for the election OF
national committeeman and four dele
gates-at-large and four alternates to the
national republican convention.
Taft was Endorsed with only two dissent
ing votes M. H. Hallet of Nevada from
the fifteenth congressional district and I.
B. Whitledge, holding the proxy of X. A
Marsden of the thirteenth district, voted
against the resolution. Neither spoke on
the matter and no objection was offered
when resolution drawn in pursuance to
the first vote was introduced. The resoiu-
ton in full follows:
Endorsement Resolutions.
Resolved by the republican state COM
mittee of Missouri, That the commit
tee recognizes that the sentiment of the
republicans of Missouri is practically In
favor of the nomination of William Ii.
Taft as the candidate of the republican
party for President in 1908, and the COM
mittee declares its belief that the repub-
lican electors of the state have absolute
confidence in the patriotism, high charac-
ter ana prominent dDllltleS Oh i ait
and believe that in his character, his
learning, his experience as judge and as
an executive officer in all the affairs of
life William H. Taft has unequaled
strength as candidate and possesses In
the highest degree the qualities that must
be possessed by republican President
Resolved, That this committee feels con-
tident that the nomination of William H.
Taft would unite and strengthen the re-
publican party in Missouri more than
he oir1nf NJ of
son suggested as candidate, and with
that belief we feel it to be our duty to so
express ourselves as to center on him the
sympathy and support Of the republicans
of Missouri
The resolution was drawn by ]. H.
Boutwell,, John B. Eggers and N. A.
Mozely.
The Endorsement of Taft followed the
Recommendation of Chairman Walter 8.
Dickey, who said he believed Tafte the
choice Of Missouri
The Early Convention.
The state convention, which will be COM
posed Of nearly 1000 delegates, was en-
powered to nominate sixteen presidential
electors, fourteen from the congressional
districts and two presidential electors-at-
large.
Joseph Mccoy, former secretary of the
republican state committee, and T. K.
Nedringhaus sought to have the call to
be issued later for the state convention to
empower that body to name the con-
gresslonal district delegates to the ma
tional convention. This was stricken out
after the call of the national republican
committee was read and discussed.
1t is understood that the action of the
Indiana state committee in calling Feb
ruary convention to select delegates who
will not only vote for Fairbanks in the
national convention, but between the time
of their selection and the meeting, of the
convention will do missionary work for
the Vice President, spurred the Taft cam
paign managers to urge the Missouri COM
mittee to take similar action.
1t is said that the members of the COM
mittee were appealed to by the Taft man
ayers to put one state solidly in the field
for Taft at as early a. date as the Fair
banks boomers in Indiana could get to
work.
Missouri was selected to be first in the
line for Taft because it Is believed to be
his greatest stronghold and because, on
account, of the Foraker factional fight in
| Ohio. his home state could not be utilized
to offset Fairbanks boost in Indiana