New-York tribune., 1908-06-13
TWO MORE FOR FORAKER.
Al Other Delegates Seated Are
Supporters of Taft.

Chicago June I2-When the national
mttee met this morning it promptly disposed of
the remaining Texas cases, seating the Taft
delegates from the 1st, Sth 10th, 18th, 22d, 9Th
and 18th districts, none of which had been with
drawn, as had been expected.
The Virginia contests were then taken UP, and
those from the Ist to the sth district, with
the exception of the 9Th and 9Th, were consoli-
dat'i and Taft men seated.
The discussion Of these cases again raised the
ire of Senator Scott, of West Virginia, who pro-
ceeded to read Major Bryan, the attorney for
the anti-Taft contestants and the law partner
of Senator Dick. a severe lecture. He said that
it was perfectly ridiculous" for any one to
go before the national committee and expect
it seat delegates such poorly prepared
cases as had been presented. The anti-Taft
delegates. he declared. had evidence what
ever TO support their assertions. while the Taft
delegates had large bound volume of testimony
in the Virginia cases alone.
1t had been the same he said. right through
the contests. The committee had for some time
been prepared to give the anti-Taft people the
benefit of the doubt, but their own 'fnexcusably
badly prepared" cases had presented no excuse
for the committee 10 act otherwise than 1t had.
Mr.. Scott quoted Senator Heyburn's remark
that the anti-Taft contestants presented "a pit
liable spectacle and said he heartily indorsed
the assertion.
The committee then seated the Taft delegates
from the 7th District. but in the 5th Virginia
District they found the excuse for which they
had been watching. and seated two delegates
who are uninstructed. but who are supposed to
be for Foraker It was shown that Mr.. Lum-
kim chairman of the Pittsylvana County Re
publican Committee had issued call for the
county convention addressed TO white Republi-
cans" and that while there were only two dele
gates from tSat county in the 5th District Con-
vention out Of a total of 140. the district con-
vention elected Mr.. Lurnkin secretary and re-
tanned him in that position. even after it learned
of his action in the case of his county conven-
ton This was held TO be too closely akin 20
an Endorsement of Lumkin's course In excluding
the negroes of his county, and the delegates
elected by the convention of which he was chair
man were rejected and the negro delegates op-
posed to Taft were placed on the temporary roll.
It was further said in the argument that Ed
ward w Saunders, the Democratic representa-
tive Of the 9th District in the House. was elected
by a majority of only 222 votes. his Republican
opponent having polIed 1912 votes, and the be-
lief was expressed that the acceptance of the
negro delegates would result in carrying the
district for the Republicans this year.
There was three-cornered fight among the
delegates from Alaska, three sets presenting
themselves the regular delegation. The com
nittee promptly rejected the claims of those
elected earlier than prescribed by the call of
the committee. and then placed the delegation
composed of men belonging 10 the Governor
Hoggatt faction on the temporary roll All of
the delegates were for Taft. The same was true
of the contesting delegations from Arizona. The
committee seated r. E. Sloan and L. z. Powell
from that territory The Oklahoma contests
were not pressed
When the Alaska contest was disposed of the
question Of allowing six delegates to that dis
trict was taken up. and a motion seat all six
four more than allowed by the call of the COM
mittee-was rejected by viva voce vote. The
but when the name of New Mexico was reached
the national committeeman Solomon Luna
made d personal appeal for the seating of all
six of his delegates. This led the first rollcal
Of the meeting. The proposition was finally re-
jected by a vote of 26 to %. 1t is declared that
with the exception of Pennsylvania and two
other Northern states, all the affirmative votes
came from the committeeman from Southern
states and the territories.
After the committee adjourned Chairman New
said: There has been great deal of this talk
Of the committee running a steam roller over the
opposition, but the fact is that the cases of the
ant-Taft contestants were so badly prepared or
not prepared ar all, that il was impossible in al
most every instance for the committee to have
done otherwise than as II did"