The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-06-27

Chicago, H., June %, 1912.-Late
this afternoon, President Taft was
r.aominated by a vote OF SCI. This |,
,raz q votes more than the necessary |
number 10 nominate. But in this
56I votes there were included sc IL |
legal and stolen votes. There was
also included the votes of all Of the
territories and foreign possessions,
Including Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippine Island, none Of which
represent any Republican party that
can now or ever can give a Republi-
can vote. There was also included
in this number over $50 votes from
southern States, where there is no
Republican party worthy Of the name
and which states would not have
more than 25 votes in the Conven-
ton if the number of delegates elect
ed had been based upon the actual
Republican vote cast in those States
The Rotten Borough Delegates.
Under the present plan, each State
in the Union, whether north or south,
whether Democratic or Republican, is
permitted to elect twice as many del
egates to the National Republican
Convention as there are congressman
and Senators from each State. BY
this absurd and unjust party regula-
ton. the State of Louisiana, which
cast less than 5000 Republican votes
at the last election, and which, un-
der the State law, can no longer ap-
pear as party on the official ballot,
because the Republican party vote
has dropped below 5000, was per-
mitted to cast 20 votes in the Con-
yention (there being 8 congressman
and Senator, all Democrats, from
that State), while the great Republic
can State of Maine cast only II votes.
OF course, the 20 votes from Louis
lana, which was made up of federal
fice-holders-many of them ne
groes, were cast solidly for Taft. On
the other hand, the II votes from
the great State of Maine, where the
people expressed their wishes in a
legal primary, were cast solidly for
Colonel Roosevelt.
In this connection, it should be
noted that South Carolina, which cast
less than 5000 votes in the whole
State, has Is votes in the National
Convention. The State of Mississippi,
which has no more of Republican
party, and which is dominated by
federal e-holders-mostly ne
groes, also cast 20 votes. And so it
is, all through the rotten borough
States, where there is no party, ex-
cept an aggregation of federal office
holders.
The same shameful condition exist
de at one time in North Carolina.
The party in that State, however, has
grown so large as to overthrow the
federal patronage machine, and hence
North Carolina stood out as the one
Southern State in this Convention
that was not dominated by federal
Office-holders and where the people
ruled and sent an overwhelming ma
jority of it's delegate of high-class
citizens instructed for Col. Roose
welt.
The First Test in the Convention.
When the Convention met, it wal
clear that the National Committee,
majority of whom had either beer
defeated for reelection in their states
or who were from States and terrific
ries that represented no Republican
party that could ever furnish Re
publican vote, had prepared tenn
porary roll of delegates who wOult
be permitted to vote in the conven
ton. In preparing this roll. the,
had unseated Sc Roosevelt delegate
who were clearly and unquestionabl.
elected by the people of their State
and their respective districts, includ
ing the Fourth Congressional Distric
of North Carolina.
That Committee, in making up thi
roll, could have stolen a hundre
votes or two hundred votes, wit
just as much reason and justice a
the Sc which had been stolen. TIL
fact is the committee stole jus
enough to give Taft safe majorit!
and then stopped.
The first question raised in tn
Convention when it assembled, wa
the purging of the roll of delegate
as prepared by the National Con
mlttee. Governor Hadley, Of Mi
souri,, representing the Rooseve
forces in the convention, moved tn:
all of the uncontested delegate
which made large majority of tt
convention, should be permitted I
organize the Convention. and the
pass upon the title of the Sc contes
ed delegates who had been seated I
the National Committee. No fair,
or more just proposition was ev