The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-10
MIR. M'HARG LET'S
 CAT OUT OF THE
 BAG BY BLUNDER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)

fered apology, saying that he had spoken merely as counsel, and not for the Secre- tary of War. This closed the incident entirely, except when MT McHarg called upon the Taft managers and expressed his opinion of their conduct in letting him go before the committee to make an argument without being possessed of full and accurate information of what the Taft people proposed to do.
 The division on the Louisiana compro- mise was the first test of strength that has been made since the committee meI. This was not decisive because a number of Taft men voted for the settlement.
 Later however. a vote was taken at the conclusion of the hearing of the con test on the Fourth Mississippi district. Committeeman Scott or Alabama called for a division and 50 members of the com mittee rose to their feat in favor of seating the Taft osicgit)n. On the call for negative vote: nobn'iy arose. and [! q Taft managers were thereby assured that they had at least 30 votes on the commit tee.
 During the iattcl part of the afternocn when Chairman New was compelled y business affairs to leave inc committee he called upon Judsor w. Lyons of Geor- gia, the only colored man on the com
 
 Lyons presided during the hearing Of the greater number of the Mississippi contests and acquitted himself in cred itable manner.
 Vice Presidency.
 The opening of headquarters for John Hays Hammond of Massachusetts brought the vice presidential situation to the. front He was the first to show his candidacy in definite form, but coinci- dent with his activity came the movc- ment in behalf of Governor Curtis Guild of Massachusetts, who will be strongly urged when the full force of the delega- tion from his state arrives late in the week.
 The New York candidates, tentative and otherwise are numerous. They are George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of the Trea sury, and Representative James s. Sherman and J. Sloat Fassett.
 The east also has brought forward an- other possibility in the person of Frank lin Murphy, former governor of New Jersey and national committeeman of that state.
 From the west, J. P Deliver of Iowa. United States senator from that state. was most prominently mentioned Senator J. c. Burrows of Michigan, who is to be temporary chairman of the convention and Ldeutenant-Governor Sherman of Illinois. also found supporters among the politicians.
 Much of the discussion as to the availa- bility of these men centered upon their campaigning abilities On this point the friends of Governor Guild, Senator Dol lver Senator Burrows and Lieutenant Governor Sherman, were especially insist ent.
 Criticism of Clique.
 There was some talk that the placing of MT. Cortelyou on the ticket would be open to criticism in that two members of the present cabinet would be running for the chief offices of the country pro- ided that Secretary Taft is nominated for the presidency. To this the friends of MT. Cortelyou replied that while the secretary may be popular with the ad ministration, he also possessed outside strength of his own with the commercial interests of the country which would rem der him an available co-candidate.
 There was strong general feeling, how ever, that an eastern man should be given the second place on the ticket. This sentiment was used by the friends of the eastern candidates as a reason for, in their opinion, eliminating the Illinois, Iowa and Michigan possibilities. In addi- tion it was pointed out that the present situation in Iowa is unsettled because or the recent struggle between the Allison and Cummins factions and 1t would be unwise for the national party to take any step which might again bring that con- test to the front.
 Despite the generality of the talk on the presidential situation, there was no inclination on the part Of any of the leaders to pose as authorities for or against any candidate. All asserted that