The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-02-15
TY1ATFZORLDA CONVENTION WAS
A TWO-RLNGED MINSTREL SHOW
BY JACOB WALDECk,
Special Correspondence to The Pr.

Special Correspondence to The Press
ST. AUGUSTINE, Feb. 15.-Flor.
ida's Siamese republican state con.
vention may be regarded as the
forerunner of a swarm of contests
at Chicago. The tactics adopted
here, republican leaders say, may
be expected in every other south
ern state.
The result will be that in most
of them, contrasting delegations will
present credentials to the national
republican committee. The latter
committee has the authority to
make up the temporary roll of
members of the national conven-
ton. 1t must follow that the ques-
ton whether Taft or anti-Taft dele
gates shall be seated will depend
upon the control Of the national
committee. It's action upon the
contests may therefore easily de-
eide the control of the convention.
The Taft people claim the national
committee.
The republican organization in
Florida is in the hands of federal
officeholders and a few other prom
inent white republicans. They had
been lined UP solidly for Taft.
The opposition is strong numer.
ically and got busy long before the
convention to defeat the regulars.
j. P. STRIPPING of Jacksonville, for.
mer United States district attor-
ney, was the leader. In January a
circular letter bearing his name.
was sent over the state. 1t set
forth that Knox, Fairbanks and
Cannon had requested him to as.
sist them. Our delegates" said
the letter, will be seated even
on a contest"
Nothing funnier than the con-
vention has been seen in politics
The regular organization, the Of
ficeholders, had carefully issued
admission tickets to delegates rec
ogniZed by them. The contestants
got in by means of a duplicate set
of tickets and a stampede. The
police were ordered to throw out.
the irregulars, but couldn't do it. !
About 80 per cent of the delegates
We're colored. Both sides claimed
the stage. Each took half of it.
J. H. Dickerson, dapper colored
man, chief of the colored Free Ma
sons in the state, was showed for
ward as chairman of the anti
Tafters. A chair was set for him
beside the speakers table. A Unit
ed States marshal pulled it away
as Dickerson was about to sit
down. The dignifed Dickerson sat
in the air until he hit the floor
Chairman H. S. Chubb of the regu.
lars took advantage of the occa-
sion to plead for order. He didn't
get it.
A banner inscribed Foraker for
President" was brought forward
and wildly cheered by the colored
delegates.
Then for two hours, with a rack.
let beyond words the two parties
held what they called conventions.
There was not much convention
about the conclave, but it was the
finest minstrel show since the first
dawn.
Collector Joe Lee of Jacksonville,
the colored sage of Florida, was
chairman of the regulars. He stooo
on a table at the side of the stage
surrounded by the white managers,
mostly officeholders A mass of
delegates were punched on the
floor in front of them. There, amid
confusion in which nothing could
be heard, they went through the
whole procedure of state conven-
ton. Four delegates at large were
elected and instructed for Taft
Other men were hoisted to the
table, and district delegates pledged