The Detroit times., 1908-06-05
TAFT SCORES THE
FIRST BLOOD IN
CONTEST
FRANK II. HITCHCOCK. sEcRE.
TARY's CAMPAIGN MANAGER,
SEATED ON REP. NATL COM.
MiTTEE WITH 2 OF HIS AIDES.

CHICAGO, Juno 5.-Frank H..
Hitchcock, Secretary OF War VIM. H..
Taft's campaign manager In Chicago,
now, with two men who have been
employed In tho TAFT boom for the
last five months, Wero seated on the
Republican national committee today,
despite one OF the most bitter fights
ever put up In connection with a ma
tlonaI convention.
This Victory for Taft 10 oonsid-
cred ono Of the boldest political
moves that has be.n attempted In
years. Tho "allleo" fought tooth and
nall and sent formal protest Into
the committee which convened this
morning to hear tho 220 contests from
almost every state In tho union. Tho
committee decided that the mon were
seated In the committee on proxies
given them In proper form and that
the committee could do nothing. The
protests Of tho Alabama people, back
ed by the allies, was tabled and Tam
had scored first blood.
Here are the three men seated and
tho proxies they hold and Will vote on
on contest In which their candidate Is
the most Interested: Frank n. Hitch
cock, proxy OF Solomon Luna, New
Mexn.,; chas. G. Phelps, Of Connect
cut holding proxy Of Alexander Nc
kenxie, Of North Dakota: Arthur r.
Slater, Of Oregon, holding proxy Of
John G. Held, Of Alaska.
CHICAGO, June 5.-The Republican
national committee assembled at IL
q. In. today. in the coliseum to begin
the hearing OF contests for seats un-
der the temporary organization of the
national convention. All contests
from the states OF Alabama and Ar
kansas, including % seats In the con-
vention are scheduled TO be heard and
decided today. 1t Is expected that the
Alabama contest will take up several
hours OF the committees time. The
fact that the Alabama delegates head
the roll call makes this particular
fight noteworthy. II the Taft men win
II Is presumed that Alabama will at
once yield TO Ohio when nominating
speeches are called for, which Will
enable the Ohioans TO get the name OF
VIM. H. Taft before the convention
when everybody's lungs are aching for
q good yell.
II the Davidson faction wins the
contest, It will be necessary to choose
the allied candidate whose name shall
first go before the convention, either
by lot or by vote OF the members or
the delegations. In the latter event
il would not be surprising II Senator
Joseph B. Foraker. Of Ohio. the most
bitter opponent OF Secretary Taft,
would get the honor.
Lorlmer's iank.
Rep. VIM. Lorimer has drawn
plank to fit the Republican national
platform, pledging the Republican
party, II successful at the coming
election. to the building OF the lakes
to-gulf deep waterway. Mr. Lorimer
Is awaiting the coming OF Senator
Hopkins, who Is spoken OF as the ad-
ministration candidate for chairman
OF the resolutions committee Of the
convention, and will ask him to see
that 1t gets into the platform.
Senator Jonathan p. Dolliver, OF
Iowa, who has been mentioned as the
national Administrations candidate
for vice-president. has intimated to
his friends that he Is we'll satisfied
WIFI HIS scat tho OhitOA 0sos~S
senate.
Mayor Busse SHE'D today at the
boom started for him as Republican
national committeeman to succeed
Frank o. Lowden. Fred w. Upham
wants the honor and the executive Is
working for him.
Both sides are keyed up for the bat
tie. Frank II. Hitchcock spent almost
all of yesterday making preparations
for the hearing. He Will appear be-
fore the committee In person TO repre-
sent the Taft interests. but the case
will be presented In detail by D. o.
Street, OF Guntersville, fla, one OF
the leading lawyers of the state.
Race issue involved.
Major Bryan. the allies lawyer.
said the allies are going to show that
the race Issue Is involved In the case.
He pointed out that while the con-
testing delegates are uninstructed,
most of them are actually for Senator
Foraker for the nomination and he Is
the popular hero of the colored men OF
the south just now.