The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-06
Taft Nomination Speech Will
Consume Only 20 Minutes.
WORKING ON CONTESTS
Committee Seats Taft Delegates
in Alabama and Arkansas.
Little Opposition Develops in
the Com mittee.

the coming national Republican con-
Vention at Chicago. has caused the
prospective orators on that occasion to
olngently search the record for pre-
cedents. Roscoe Conkling's nomina-
ton OF Grant for a third term con-
suneo II minutes and Garfield at the
same meeting took but a little more
.lme IN placing the name of Sherman
pe1ore the convention. Ten minutes
was REQUIRED for Ingersoll to nominate
Blaine. These three speeches stand out
prominently as models in the annals Of
national conventions.
1t is understood that REPRESENTATIVE
Burton will take 20 minutes in propos-
ing Secretary Taft as the presidential
candldate OF his party. and that Sena-
tor 6oran VIII consume not more than
SIX or seven minutes in seconding the
nomination. Other speeches probably
Will be governed by the same limita-
tions, although the convention allows
each speaker to be the Judge for the
time he may consume in making nomi-
nations. When hrevity has not con-
trolled orators on such occasions, an
impatient audience generally has call
ed time on them. The ordeal of speak
ing IN a large auditorium is a still more
potent factor in securing short ad-
dresses, as few men have voices suf-
f1clently powerful to stand the strain
more than 10 or Is minutes
First Draft of Platform.
Norfolk, Va, June 6.-Wade Ellis, at
torney general of Ohio, who has been
at virginia beach for several days pre-
pairing the first draft of the Republi-
can national platform will leave to-
morrow for Washington and thence
will go to Chicago.
THE only work that has been done
on the PLATFORM" said Mr. Ellis today.
has been the attempt to get together
In concrete form some suggestions for
the resolutions committee which might
be the basis for the work to be done
by that COMMITTEES on the platform
There Is no intention of preparing
platform in advance of the meeting of
the committee.
Several prospective members Of COM
mittee, CHANGING to be in Washington,
Roosevelt. Secretary Taft and others
interested in the subject. That is all
there is to be said about the Washing
ton conference"
Taft Delegates Seated.
Chicago. June 6.-Without roll calls
decided the contests from Alabama
and Arkansas involving twenty-four
seats in the Republican national con-
vention in favor of the delegates in
structed for Secretary Taft. The vic
tory for the Taft forces was sweeping,
not even a division being required to
determine the will of the committee.
Contests from Florida, Georgia and
Kentucky are yet to be heard, the
total number of seats affected being
twenty-four.
It was decided all sessions shall be
executive, beginning at 10 o'clock and
continuing without luncheon until ad-
journment for the day, which is ex-
pected to be about 8 p.
In the case of contests involving the
delegates at large, thirty minutes for
each side will be allowed for presenta-
ton of argument and fifteen minutes
6a oil cf6 Ia IN IjSfr{ TOT
contests. Provision was made, how
ever, for consolidation OF cases from
one state where the issues are identi-
cal. and also for using the same evil
dence in such contests. The rule gov
erning voting by the committee on the
contests follows:
after presentation of the case the
contestants and their representatives
shall retire and the committee shall
decide the case before calling the next
one, without debate and by viva
voce vote unless a demand for a roll
call is sustained by at least twenty
mem berS."
The Alabama cases, by agreement OF
dated and therefore two hours were
given to each side. It was regarded as
the most important of all the contests
because Of the fact that twenty-five
in the list of states that will be called
in the convention when nominations
are being made. The candidate secur-
ing the delegation from Alabama is
sure to be the first placed in nomina-
ton because the state. having no can
didate of its own, always yields to that
state presenting the candidate favor
ed by Alabama.
All except members Of the national
committee were first excluded from the
room and a few minutes later it was
known that the Taft delegates had
been seated. There was no demand for
roll call and on the viva voce ex-
preston it is said that only Mr. Scott
of Alabama voted for the seating of
the delegates elected by his faction.
The Arkansas contest involving the
two delegates from the Fifth congress
sional district was then taken up. Only
half an hour was devoted to 1T and the
committee voted without a dissenting
voice to seat the delegation instructed
for Secretary Taft. The other delega-
tion is claimed to be for Taft's nomi-
nation also, but it was not instructed.
All of the members of the commit
tee were present in person except To-
Thirteen of these were represented by
proxies including California by Sena-
tor Charles w. Fulton of Oregon, Utah
by Representative Joseph E. Howell Of
Utah, Alaska by Arthur F. Statter Of
Washington state. Hawaii by George
B. Mcclellan, New Mexico by Frank
ippine islands by Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts,. John Edward Addicks,
the member from Delaware, and James
w Brock, the member from Vermont
were absent and were not represented
Last night meeting was held in the
room of Senator Hemenway of Indiana
at the Auditorium Annex, which was
attended by representatives of Senator
Knox of Pennsylvania. Vice President
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