The Mena weekly star., 1908-06-18
TAFT HAS ENOUGH
HEARING OF CONTESTS BY RE. PUBLICAN NATIONAL COM.
 MITTEE IS ENDED.
TAFT HAS 6O3 VOTES ON FIRST BALLOT
Of the 219 Seats Contested Secretary Taft Was Given 2f6 and Foraker Taft Lost But One Dstrict--Allies Issue Statement-Active Work Now on Regular Convention.

Chicago, June 14.-Late Friday af ternoon the Republican national com mittee completed the hearing of all contests submitted and turned it's at tention to other matters. It has been in session for seven days of actual work, and has decided contests in- volving 219 seats on the temporary roll call These contests have been decided as follows: For Taft, PIG; for Foraker. 2.
 As Taft had 3S7 instructed dele gates before the national committee began hearing the contests. he will have now total of coz delegates on the temporary roll call without taking into consideration any that have either indorsed him or declared for him in any other manner.
 The only complete defeat sustained by the Taft delegates in the contests was in the Fifth Virginia district where a Foraker delegation was seat ed because a man was allowed to act as secretary of the district conven- ton who had issued call for con vention in his own county for white men only" It was believed by the members of the committee that if they allowed the delegates from the con vention at which this man had acted as secretary, 10 be seated in the ma. tionaf convention that it would place the party in the light of approving i call issued to a portion of the voters. For this reason 1t was decided to seat the contesting Foraker delegates.
 Outside of the conclusion of the contests before the national commit tee the most important development of the day was the issuance by the allies" of a statement in which they declared their intention of sticking to the finish" and in which they as- serted that 1t was certain that there will be no nomination on the first ballot !"
 The active work on the convention preliminaries will not be under full headway before Saturday night or some time on Sunday Although delegates were constantly arriving throughout the day no state is as yet represented by its full strength New York, Massachusetts and Maine are expected 10 be here by noon. and Mis- souri will arrive some time during the latter part of the day. On Sunday the California delegation will arrive and numerous other states from the west will have their complete quota on hand.
 Speculation was busy Friday with the vice presidential question No one was able to arrive at definite conclusion or to form a confident idea as to the possible outcome. The only vice presidential candidate as yet on the ground is John Hays Hammond, who admitted that he was not "eNactly in the lead" but added that he was satisfied with existing conditions and prospects.
 Senator Hopkins of Illinois, wno will be chairman of the committee on resolutions, arrived during the day with boom for Fairbanks
 "I am for Fairbanks if ho will ac- cept, said Senator Hopkins. 5e has made one of the best vice presi. dents the country has ever had, ana he has earned renomination n
 There is doubt whether the vice president will permit the use Of his name, but it is strongly asserted that If he is nominated he will not decline