Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-06-12
SEC. TAFT GAINING
STRENGTH R / EVERY DAY.
Has 554 Delegates Already Approved
by National Committee Making Up
Committees and the Platform.

Chicago, June 1.-THE Republican
national committee today reached
Texas in the alphabetical list OF
states in deciding contests for seats
on the temporary roll call of the ma.
tional convention, which will NEE,
June 16. The work today settled cases
involving two delegations-at-large and
q district delegations, a total of 5(
delegates. or these, Taft is almost GER
tain of 49 and may have So
The uncertain delegate halls from
the 9Th district of Tennessee and it is
not known how he will vote.
When the committee adjourned fol
the day counting the number gained by
Taft today as SO, his managers claimed
total number of delegates on the
temporary roll call actually instructed
and not including delegates for Taft
eithre by Endorsement or declaration t.
be 554. According to estimates made by
the "Allies" the number is 500. this es-
innate being based upon the latest
figures issued by the "Allies.'
The work of the committee today
excited much less interest than that
of any previous session. Visitors who
We're numerous on former occasions
were for the most part absent today
and as a rule, only such people visit
ed the Coliseum, where the committee
is sitting, as had business to transact
South Carolina contests were the
first called, they being from the 1st
and the 5th Districts. Both of them
were given to Taft after short hear
ings.
The hearing Of the contests from
Tennessee occupied by far the great
er part Of the day. each side being al
lowed two hours for presentation of
evidence and arguments. The fight
here grew out of a factional struggle
over local issues in Tennessee. all of
the Hale element being instructed for
Taft and the majority of their oppo-
nents, who We're dubbed the Oliver del
egates, being also for the secretary of
war.
The result was that the Taft men
were seated in all but the Sth Dis
trict, where the delegation was divid-
ed, at the earnest request of Nation
al Committeeman Brown, who asked
that it be done in order to give the
Republicans of that district an I'M
proved chance of defeating the pres
ent Democratic congressman. The
splitting of the delegation, however, is
not likely to make any difference to
Taft. inasmuch as none of the Oliver
delegates were instructed for anybody
else and the greater number OF them
had been directed to vote for him.
The hearing of these cases produced
the only picturesque scenes of the day.
Jesse Littleton, counsel for the Oliver
delegates. asserted that the Hale men
came into the hall armed and dis
played huge hatchets with which he
said the Oliver men had beeen threat
ened.
Newell Sanders, chairman Of the
state committee, supplied a counter
irritant to the Littleton hatchet exhi-
bition by telling in his argument, OF
the desperate fight which the Hale
men were compelled to make before
they were allowed In the hall and Of
how big colored man was about to
chop him when an oliver man put the
negro suddenly into a state OF coma.
His account of the struggle in the con-
vention hall was received by the COM
mittee with much interest.
The hearing of the Texas cases came
next and in these the contests over
the seats of the delegates-at-large, and
from the Sd, 4th, 9th, eth. 9Th, 18th.
14th. 18th and 10Th Districts were con-
solidated, and after a brief hearing the
delegates from the faction headed by
Cecil Elliott, the committeeman from
that state, were seated. 'The re-or-
ganized Republicans" who contested
in every one of these districts were
completely defeated, not receiving a
single delegate.
After this decision, the committee
adjourned until tomorrow.
It is understood. although no off,
cial announcement to that effect was
made, that the contests in the I'd and
18th Districts will be withdrawn. and
that the arguments will only concern
the 1st, 5th. Sth, 10th and 11th Districts.
The delegates seated today from
Texas are not instructed but Commit
teeman Lyon, who directs the anairs
generally, asserted that there Is no
doubt that their. votes will be cast
for Taft
1t is the earnest desire of the COM
mittee to finish it's work by tomorrow
night, and in order to facilitate this
it has decided that the remaining con-
tests from Texas are to be consolidat-
ed. as will also be those from Vir-
ginia.
The situation around the hotels was
but little more active than yesterday.
no entire delegation being as yet upon
the ground. The most important ar
rival Of the day was that of Wade Ell
lis, attorney general of Ohio, who
brought with him a draft Of the plat
form. He refused to discuss its pro-
visions, but asserted that, in his opln-
ion. it would be 1.-THE best platform
that any political party has sanctioned
In recent years"
A number of Pennsylvania delegates
arrived during the day and announced
that Senator Knox was in the fight to
the finish and the bigger light, the
brighter they believed his chances. r.