Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-02
DELEGATES AS UNIT BALK
AT REQUEST OF COLONEL
Protest That Under No Circumstances Can They
Cast Ballots Otherwise Than Instructed
Taft Managers May Carry Sieberlich
Contest to National Convention

Boston. May AFTER two conferences
to-day the eight Roosevelt delegates-at-
large elected at the primaries yesterday to
The Chicago convention decided not TO
take any oint action on the attitude
adopted by Colonel Roosevelt in releasing
them from Obligation to vote for him, but
to leave each delegate free to act as he
sees fit statement to this effect was
issued late tonight by Matthew Hale.
chairman of the Roosevelt committee.
The refusal by the republican delegates
at-arge to accept colonel Roosevelt's
decision that they should vote for Presi-
dent Taft at the Chicago vention. al
though elected as Roos welt delegates,
further complicated the situation arising
from the State primaries yesterday. The
situation Is acknowledged by leaders on
10th sides as without parallel in the
political history of the commonwealth.
Although the republicans of the State
selected President Taft as their candidate
tor denomination hy a majority of 36oo
over Colonel Roosevelt on the presidential
preference ballo.. they at the same time
elected by decisive vote the entire slate
IF eight delegates pledged to the
former president. Colonel Roosevelt Sc
cured 10 more delegates in the district
elections and President Taft carried nine
districts, so that both Taft and Roose-
vet have 1s delegates from the State TO
he national convention.
A somewhat similar situation was
created on the democratic ballot.
Speaker Champ Clark. who had no
pledged delegates on the ticket. won
2-to-1 victory over Governor Wilson
In the presidential preference contest.
At the same time delegates at large
pledged to Governor Foss Of Massa-
chusetts were elected to attend the
Baltimore convention. though the
name of Governor Foss did not appear
in the presidential preference column.
The total preferential vote for the
three republican candidates. with re-
turns from the towns of Gosnod still
missing tonight, was as follows:
La Toilette, 1.156
Roosevelt. 71,15S.
Taft. 74,sOS.
Roosevelt followers have announced
their intention OF asking recount in the
eighth district. while the Taft men will
do likewise in the ninth. on account OF
the closeness of the vote.
DELEGATES REFUSE TO OBEY.
In his request to the delegates at-large,
Colonel Roosevelt declared it his wish to
abide by the will of the people, and
there therefore the delegates, though
elected as pledged to him, should vote for
Mr.. Taft. who received the presidential
preference vote. One by one the delegates
to-day, however. protested that under nc
circumstances would they cast their bal
lots other than they had been pledged
Charles S. Baxter of Medford. who head.
ed the delegation, said he had always
been a Roosevelt man, was elected as
Roosevelt man and expected to con.
tlnue a Roosevelt supporter. Arthur l.
Mason Of Haverhill and George W. Cole
man of Boston said they would lab.
soutely refuse to abide by such requests u
James p. Magenis Of Boston took thu
position that he was elected as Roose
welt delegate and he could see no wa,
OF evading the direction" Tho remaininf
delegates expressed themselves similarly
Both the Roosevelt and Taft headouar r
tiers managers remained silent to-nigh
upon tho announcement of Colonel Roose
Welt
A lightly different Interpretation O.
the primary law as respecting distric
delegates was brought forward BY Judg.
Thomas p. Riley. chairman of the demo
cratic state committee. Judge Riley as
serted that all district delegates should
vote for the candidate Of their party wh,
carried the presidential preference vot,
Of the State. whatever their pledge. un
less the vote whereby theywere elected Al
pledged delegates happened to be great
tha CC tho dtctv
the opposition candidate who receive,
the presidential preference choice,
ROW OVER SIEBERLICH
A contest which the managers Of tn
Taft campaign promise to carry to tn
very doors of the national convention
necessary. Is threaten as result O
the independent candidacy of Frank Sic
berlich of Boston. Mr.. Sieberlich wa
not on the regular siateof Taft delegates
but had his name entered on the ballo
az an independent pledged to Taft.
The name was placed immediatel
above the slate Of eight delegates at
large also pledged to Mr. Taft, so tina
many voters. following down tn
column crossed the pane OF Sieber
Itch as well as those Of the eigh
others pledged to Taft, thus markin
nine names. On the ground that thi
marking invalidated the ballot. hun
dreds of votes were thrown out b
counters in cities and towns all owe
the State, the number running AS hig
as 200 and 400 II IL stated, In Ne'
Bedford, Gloucester and Lynn. Tai
managers claim that the loss to tn
Taft ballot was SO heavy from thi
cause that tho President would hav
won the eptire list OF eight delegates