Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-14
.LEAGUERS AND
REGULARS READY
FOR SCRIMMAGE
STATE CONVENTION OPENS AT
CAPITAL TODAY
TAFT'S NAME MAY NOT BE
MENTIONED
GilIett Withdraws as Candidate for
Delegate and LincoIn=RooseveIt
Men Consider This
Good Omen
Special to The Herald.


SACRAMENTO. May 13.-The Re-
publican state convention may not
even mention Taft in the resolutions
that will be prepared by it's machine
committee if the machine Wields the
strength it claims.
This was boldly announced by the
San Francisco Chronicle, whose pro-
prietor is a Herrin candidate for dele
gate.
That Taft will be indorsed is a work
which the Lincoln Roosevelt league,
guessing the import of the Chronicle,
will make possible by a fight for an
instructed delegation. The Deaquis
executive committee at a session to-
night discussed the danger and made
provision for it. 1t has always been
apparent that Herrin was against Taft
but it was not thought there would
be an attempt to stifie the overwhelm-
ing sentiment by an uninstructed dele
cation.
To lead the fight in the convention
tomorrow when the contest over the
temporary Craftsmanship comes up Lee
c. Gates of Los Angeles was chosen
by the league executive committee.
The committee also formally indorsed
former Mayor w. r. Davis of Oakland
for chairman and will win or lose with
him.
The league delegates will caucus to-
morrow morning. 1t seems apparent
tonight that the league may make no
fight on George A Knight for delegate
at large. Its candidates so far are
Jacob H. Neff and Thomas R. Bard.
Taft Wants Knight
Knight is wanted by many leaguers
because Taft has asked that he be on
the delegation. The league aims to
defeat De Young and Otis and has
been able to get much support in this
fer its support of Knight The names
of Col. r. A. Chase of Marysville will
be another league candidate. Accord
ing to creditable authority tonight,
the league has been able to muster 27O
sure votes. The whole situation was
encouraging to the league. The great
fear is in the proxies of country an-
pointed delegates-the hand Herrin
dealt under the table
The state executive committee of the
regulars, nine only being present, met
tonlght and voted to recommend
George A. Knight for temporary chair
man. Gen. Stone still declares the reg
ulars will have over 400 votes 1t is
understood the regulars will name Fred
X. Marlin for secretary and Jack Staf-
ford for sergeant-at-arms. Both are
from Sacramento
According to Gen. Stone, the regu-
lars have 416 votes. According to the
leaguers the regulars have but a scant
majority and this will fade by the time
the convention meets to a minority
But the leaguers will not give a defi-
mite estimate.
Strong on Figures
The regulars are strong in citing fig
ures. But the figures on which their
4l6 votes are based are known to be
wrong. They have included all of
Orange county's fourteen delegates, six
of whom will vote with the league.
They have included P. w. Cartwright
of Pasadena as a regular, but Mr..
Cartwright today is at the league head
quarters, aiding it. He was always a
league candidate. They have claimed
all the delegates from Yuba, YoIo SUIT
ter and Tehama counties and many
others, and it is certain they have not
a majority of them, to say the least
They have claimed entire delegations
because they were appointed instead
of being elected.
Frank r. Devlin of Oakland, presi-
dent of the league. said tonight that he
was satisfied the league would organ
ize and control the convention. "Seven
counties" he declared, that for OBJ
vious reasons I do not desire to name,
have visited headquarters today and
made it clear that they are with the
league and not the machine They
were all counties that we had esti-
mated in the regular column because
we did not know the real situation"
over one-half the delegates to the
convention are in the city tonight.
With the Odd Fellows grand lodge in
session and the 1otilla coming up the
river for a stay of four days, Sacra-
mento is overwhelmed and there is
no hotel space.
The machine will support Judge III.
NJ. Melvin of Oakland for delegate at
large in place of Governor Gillett. The
governor in withdrawing from cam
didacy declares he is ill, has been long
absent from the state and has too
much official business. But the real
truth is he was the vulnerable one of
the four selected by Herrin. The in
dorsement of Jacob Fl. Neff of San
Francisco, former lieutenant governor.
by the leaguers proved Gilletts Vulner-
ability because the machine rank and
file liked Ne ffand thought Gillett too
much of an Oliver Twist.
Herrin Forces Revolt
Facing a revolt in his own ranks
and situation that might jeopardize
the control of the convention Herrin
sent out the word for Judge Melvin.
who had withdrawn some time ago in
Difference to the governors wishes.
But when the judge assisted in elect
ing George Reed yesterday and then
turned around to find that he had thus
shut himself out for delegate at all
he and his friends revolted Emissar-
les We're sent to Sacramento and head
quarters opened at the Capital hotel
and campaign started,
Then the word for him went out.
Coincident with this was the an
nouncement of the governors change
of mind. Gilletts withdrawal takes
the wind out of the regulars sails,