The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-09
TAFT MACHINE
GETS SETBACK
Success of Overture to Seat
Both Taft and Allies Men
Startles Secretary's
Managers.
EACH TO HAVE HALF-V0TE
A Sop to Negro Votc-IItchcock VIII
Not ComprOmlsc--Taft Gets
Florida, Georgia and
Kentucky.

Chicago, June S--A few handfuls OF
sand were thrown into the cylinders Of
So far everything that has come up
has been handled quickly and decisive
their own membership came a proposi
tion to divide the Louisiana delegation
with the opposition, seating both Taft
and anti-Taft delegations with half
vote each. The proposition in Itself did
ber OF members Of the national COM
mittee who favored the movement cre-
ated some CONSERVATION In the Taft
camp. The friends of the secretary Of
war on the committee brought about
an adjournment rather than permit a
vote 10 be taken today
Before the Louisiana case, which in
wolves four delegates at large and
fourteen district delegates, Is brought
to vote tomorrow noses Will be sharp
ly counted. Members of the committee
who have been ardent Taft supporters,
but who have shown a disposition to
yield to the appeals from the allied
forces to compromise in the interest of
harmony will be subjected to pressure
from Washington. To allow time for
this, was the purpose of the sudden
adjournment today.
Manager Frank Hitchcock Of the
Taft campaign tonight announced that
there would be no compromise. He Is
determined to fight for the seating OF
the delegations instructed for Secretary
Taft, and declared that he would insist
that the committee pass on all con
tests To settle them IN any other way,
he said. would be unfair 10 the delega-
tions themselves. He expressed the
opinion that the committee should not
shirk the responsibility of sitting in
judgment on the merits of every con
test, and in this view he is supported
by nearly every committeeman from
the west and south and many from the
north.
Thus far, contests have been settled
from the states of Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida Georgia and Kentucky and
there has been no division of the com
mittee In disposing of any of them.
The reason for this has been the rule
which denies a roll-cal on any ques-
tion unless 1t is demanded by twenty
members, and the anti Taft people have
not that number on the committee. The
suggestion for a division of contesting
delegations has become more frequent
from day to day The political maneu-
vering by such members of the "old
guard" as Senators Crane, Scott and
Penrose and Committeeman Hart oi
Iowa and Mulvane of Kansas, has not
been without effect The growth of the
compromise suggestion was noticed by
the Taft men, but they were not dis.
turbed by 1t until late today when they
learned to their surprise that the plar
for division In Louisiana was favor
ed by Senator Lodge of Massachusett.
and General Powell Clayton of Arkan-
sas.
Hasty conferences We're held by
the Taft members of the committee
during the hearing of the Louisiana
contest and the decision was reached
they ascertained exactly where they
stood. This course was followed. Mr.
Hitchcock called UP Secretary Taf
in ashington---Charles p. Taft
brother of the secretary, did some ter,
ephoning and telegraphing on hi,
own account. f. G. Duncan Of Nortl
Carolina and C. A. Lyon of Texas ant
some others also grew energetic. Wha
the effect Of the many messages vii
he cannot be accurately told until af
ter the vote tomorrow.
Manager Hitchcock feels that ther,
is far more at stake in the movemen
for compromise in Louisiana thai
appears on the surface. Similar con
tests are pending from Mississippi
Missouri North Carolina, Oklahoma
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
and Texas. The plea for comprom
ise in Louisiana is based on the ar
gument that the negro question /
involved and that some recognition
that would appease the negro vote
of the south should be given the For
aker delegation. In all of the con
tests mentioned the issues are involve,
WIN Ine race question, Manage
Hitchcock takes the position, however
that all of these Taft delegation ar
mixed there being several negroe
on the delegation from each southern
state. More than one hundred an
fifty delegates are involved in the set
tlement of these contests from south
ern states yet to be settled IN
Taft men declare that If they max
concessions now they may expect fur
1 ther demands They are determine
to prevent the insertion of any open
y ing wedge, If such a thing is possible
Sixteen more votes We're gained 70
Taft to-day by the settlement Of con
tests. Two of these came from Flor
ida, six from Georgia and eight fror
Kentucky. These were all the con
tests heard by the committee,
ENGINEER DECAPITATED IN CAB