Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-05
Prominent Republicans Are
Gathering at Chicago.
Cannon Headquarters Opened
Anil Taft Forces UnIte.
National Committed VIII Have Live.
" Time Deciding Contests.

Chicago, June 4.-Political activity
commenced in earnest today around
the Auditorium and the Coliseum,
where the Republican national con-
vention is soon to be held. The Cam
non Headquarters were permanently
opened in the Auditorium and the an
nouncement was made by number Of
the politicians friendly to candidates
other than William H: Taft that For
aksr headquarters will be opened soon
in the Great Northern hotel.
Charles p. Taft of Cincinnati, BROTH
or of the secretary, came to Chicago
today and promptly announced that he
expected ~the secretary to be nomtn-
ated without difficulty on the first bal
lot. He smiled as he cautioned listen
ers to remember that he was pretu-
diced witness. but asserted that there
was no doubt in his mind that only
one ballot would be cast. He said that
in his opinion the figures Of the Taft
bureau should be taken seriously be-
cause "our figures from the beginning
of the fight for the Republican nonin-
alton have always been nearer right
than those Of the other fellows
At the Cannon headquarters Il was
declared that the estimates Of strength
made by the Taft people were over
drawn and that the Taft people would
not he able to show more than $50
votes on the first ballot.
The full Republican national COM
mittee will meet at II o'clock tomor-
row and begin the hearings on which
will be determined the contests involv-
ing 229 seats in the convention. The
number of contests filed is SO large
that the settlement has become the
most important of the pre-convention
proceedings.
The nomination Of the Republican
candidate for the Presidency hangs alb
solutely upon the decision of tho MEM
bers of the national committee and sub
sequsnt approval Of that decision by the
credentials committee Of the convention
Half of the contests decided in favor Of
Secretary Taft would result in his WIN
ming on the first ballot. while failure to
capture this number unauesttonabiy
would put the nomination In doubt.
Realizing the necessity OF keeping a
majority of the contested delegates out
of the Taft column. the representatives
of other candidates have pooled issues in
most Of the cases and the proceedings
therefore. largely will be resolved into q
Taft and anti-Taft controversy. So far
as the South ia concerned. and most Of
the contests are in states from south Of
the Mason and Dixon lines. the interest
Of the allies are being looked after by
Major F. c. Bryan of Washington. D. C.
He arrived in Chicago today and an
nounced that he would base his argu-
ments chiefly on the contention that in
most of the Southern states the Taft
forces had disqualified the negro voters
from participating in the conventions.
If the program mapped out by National
Chairman Harry s. New is carried out
little opportunity for fine arguments or
oratorical efforts will be presented. Thir-
ty minutes for each side will be allowed
in the state contests. and Is in the dis
trict contests.
Chairman New estimated today that if
this schedule is followed and no delays
result. it will require ia hours to dis
pose of the contests.
1t Is not likely that the committee Will
be able to dispose Of more than the Ala
bama contests tomorrow. These are re-
garded as the pivotal cases in the entire
controversy and an exhibition Of bitter
ness is anticipated by the committee over
their settlement. All Of the nine districts
in the state are contested as well as the
four Observation-Disclosures The disputes ere
fractional differences and their Importance
is further increased by tho fact that Ala
bama comes first in the roll Of states.