New-York tribune., 1908-06-07

Yroper and reasonable, aho SO, perhaps, oSiedt
the will of the majority
Have you any contests in your state MI
Akins?"
yes we have three, and no more ridiculous
and rroundless affairs presented to
national committee for serious consideration
rh.re are contesting delegates from the 10th,
11th and 18th districts, the latter being my own
district am perfectly familiar with the con-
ditiors attending all three, and they have not
leg TO stand on. j cannot understand why
they were undertaken such ffnsy pretexts,
but / can assure you that the committee will
make short work OF them.
REMEDY FOR BAsELEss CONTESTS.
You asked me II there was any remedy for
these baseless contests. There is one that occurs
to me and that is the power Of the press Ihe
Republican press could if it would. ridicule sueh
affairs out of existence. It seems to me duty
that the Republican newspapers owe to their
readers TO place the stamp OF insincerity on
every contest not hased on reasonable grounds
With upward OF five hundred delegates IN
structed for Taft. some really prominent he-
publican papers have been printing the claims
of those interested parties who have been as
serting that Taft had not more than $50 or $40.
Now suppose the Republican editors had taken
the trouble TO inform themselves as they could,
for they have correspondents as capable of
5udging these things as the national COMMITTEES,
and had announced, for instance, that the con-
test Instituted in Alabama had not leg 70
stand on, that il was conceived in hate ana ma
tured in insincerity. and that hereafter sthey
would not again refer TO it, as to cite II as a
genuine contest would be merely TO mislead their
readers That I believe would have disposed OF
this great array of contesting delegates long
aeo few bright correspondents sent right to
the scene of action when the first Southern con-
tests were instituted, with full liberty to de-
scribe the facts as they found them, would, L
believe have made the institution Of contests
merely to naisiead the party questionable. and
the practice would have received a severe check
That is the only remedy that occurs to me.
With such high grade Republican newspapers
as The New-York Tribune. The St Louis Globe
Democrat and few other trustworthy papers
denouncine these contests and showing them up
In their true light I am convinced the national
committee would have been saved a deal or
trouble and expense and the wishes Of the party
would have been clearly understood long ago"
NATIONAL COMMITTEE IMPARTIAL.
You may say that all Of the contests in which
Taft and anti-Taft delegates are involved will
be settled hv seating the Taft delegates said
Mr. Hitchcock tonight. 'tand that is not because
the national committee is any more favoraole
TO Mr. Taft than 10 any other candidate. but be-
cause the Taft delegates are regular and the
duty Nor is this surprising situation The
Taft strength has had perfectly normal. logi-
cal growth. Every week added great numbers
10 the total of delegates Instructed for Taft
There was no incentive TO the friends OF Judge
Taft TO manufacture contests TO mislead the
public. Even il Mr.. Taft would have sanctioned
such q thing-and he would not-his friends and
advisers must have appreciated that it would be
the height OF folly for them to organize con-
testing delegations and thus cast an element OF
doubt and insincerity over cause where all
was certain and aboveboard. There is no case
where the Taft managers have sanctioned any
chicanery sharp practice, and that is the rea-
son that perfectly fair and judicial national
committee must seat the Taft delegates"
The few members Of the national committee
who are opposed to the nomination of Secretary
Taft are seeking earnestly to prevent show
DOWN in the committee and thus far test
vote has been had Senator Lodge. Colonel
Akns and a few other enthusiastic committee
men sought rollcan on the first day, but the
men who have hitherto been associated with the
anti-Taft faction pleaded so earnestly that no
vote be taken that their wishes were granted,
and. in a measure. the national committee has
followed the example Of the Massachusetts State
Convention. which declared that il would not
instruct for Secretary Taft, despite the fact that
it recognized that large majority OF the con-
vention favored Tafts nomination.
Party harmony" and the prevention Of Bit
terness' is the slogan OF those who would pre-
vent Showdown and thus far they have car
ried the day. 1t is positively declared that
should test vote be taken there would not be
more than five anti-Taft votes in the committee
A prominent member Of the national commit
tee declared this evening that In his Judgment
the only members of the national committee
70 Taft
Senator Hepburn Senator Scott Of West Vir-
ginia; Mr. Scott, OF Alabama. and, in half
hearted way, Senator Penrose. The attitude OF
J. Edward Addicks, who has not arrived is not
known. but il Is assumed that he will line up
with the opposition TO Taft when he arrives.
The allies will hold further informal meet
fngs between now and Monday TO decide
on their future course of action The ar
rival of Representative Mckinley, Of ILL
nois, the Cannon manager, is awaited by
the opposition With anxiety. The Cannon peo-
pie are not acting with the "allies." National
Committeeman Lowden is here as Mr. Can
mons representative, but he has thus far de-
clined 10 take part in the opposition conferences
and has suggested the advisab bility Of await
ing the arrival OF Mr.. Mckinley. Incidentally.
attention is called by the Cannon people to the
fact that the Speakers friends doing moth
ing which might hurt the party.
WHAT THE PLATFORM MAY CONTAIN.
Senator Hopkins, the prospective chairman IF
the committee resolutions, arrived to-day
with the framework OF the Republican platform
in his pocket.
we want q platform which every Repub-
Iican can stand on said Mr. Hopkins 1T
must be broad and firm, and truly Republican
More than that, / cannot tell you as yet, but it
will be good platform. OF that you may rest