Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-08-01
THE TRUTH ABOUT
THOSE DELEGATES
HsossVsIt Contests IasiIgaisd
10 Deceive the Public.
ALL BUT "a WERE ABANDONED

An Examination Of the Facts SHOWS
That the Tribunals Which DECIDED
rhsss Contests In Favor Of Mr.. TAFT
Were Riaht In Every lnstanos-The
Remaining 1O4 Contests Were Frivo''
Gus. and Their Prompt Abandonment
Reflects Upon the osnuinOnesS and
Validity Of the Remainder.
washington. July 29.-Here are fne
facts In relation to the contested seats
IN the Republican national convention
lt IL a summary Of a detailed stare
ment going carefully into all OF the
cases, q statement so thorough that u
takes up $50 pages of printed matter
This statement Is signed by Mr. victor
rosewater, chairman Of the former he
uublIcan national committee: by MT.
n. Devine of Colorado, chairman OF the
committee on credentials Of the RepuO-
lican national convention. and by MT
Charles d. Hiles. chairman OF the
present Republican national committee.
The total number of delegates sum
moned to the convention under It's call
was l,O7S. with $40 necessary to
choice. MIR. Taft had 561 votes on the
FIRST and only ballot and was declared
the nominee. There were instituted
against 238 of the delegates regularly
elected for Taft contests on behalf OF
Roosevelt. These contests were avow-
edly instigated not for the purpose OF
really securing seats In the convention.
mot for the purpose of adducing EVIL
dence which would lead any respect
able court to entertain the contests, but
for the purpose of deceiving the public
into the belief that Mr.. Roosevelt had
more votes than he really had. as the
conventions and primaries were In
progress for the selection OF delegates
This Is not only necessary Inference
from the character of the contests. but
at was boldly avowed by the chief edl'
nor of the newspapers owned by Mr..
aaunsey. who has been Mr. RoOsevelts
chief financial and newspaper. sup
porter. The 23S contests were reduced
by abandonment to seventy-four.
The very fact OF these 1874 frivolous
contests itself reflects upon the genu-
aneness and validity Of the remainder.
The seventy. four delegates include SIX
NJ large from Arizona. four at large
from Kentucky. four at large from In
diana. six at large from Michigan
eight at large from Texas and eight al
large from Washington. and also two
district delegates each from the Ninth
Alaba ma, the Fifth Arkansas. the
Thirteenth indiana. the Seventh
Eighth and Eleventh Kentucky. the
Third Oklahoma. the Second Tennes
nne and from each of nine districts. the
First. Second. Fourth. Fifth. Seventh
Eighth. Ninth, Tenth and Fourteenth
OF Texas
CONTESTED DELEGATES At
LARGE.
Arizona.
In the Arizona convention there were
ninety.three votes. All the delegates
mig IN number-were to be SELECTED a
barge. The counties were entitled TO &c
Acct their delegates through their couD
~ committee or by primary. In one
county, Maricopa, majority OF thu
committee decided to select its dele
gates and q minority to have pri
mary. In other counties there wer'
some contests. and the sttae commit
tee. following the usage of the nationa
committee. gave a hearing to all con
eestants 10 order to make up the TEN
qpOrary roll There was clear major
fty OF the Taft delegates among tn
euncontested delegates The Commute
made up the temporary roll and the
ahere was q bolt. sixty -four remaining
IN the hall and twenty-five withdraw
auR therefrom. The ease of the Tai
majority was so clear that 1t is difhcuI
40 understand why Il contest was made
Indiana.
In Indiana the four Taft delegates
large were elected In state CONVEX
,aion 10 which Marion county. 10 whtc
indianapolis Is situate. was entitled
12s votes. A primary was held In II
<iianapolis. Mt which Taft pOlled 6W
.and Roosevelt l.4O0 votes. This gav
Taft lO6 delegates in the state CONVEX
Non from Marion county. and II the
were properly seated the control OF "a
convention by large majority we
conceded to Taft. Attempt was mad
40 Impeach the returns from Mario
county by charges of fraud and repea
ang. These charges were Of a gener
character. without specification exec
as to one ward out of 6fteen ward
and then the Impeaching witness a
mitted be could not claim fraud enout
60 change the result In that ward. II
national committee. upon which the
were fifteen antiTaft men. reject'
the Roosevelt contestants and gave q
Taft delegates their seats by q unaI
lame vota SanafOr Borah and M