Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-08

/ argument at t1S5 A. NJ, o. ID. Street
! of Guntersville, Ala, charged that Mr..
Thompson had signed written agree
ment to abide by the action of the
state convention of Aug. 81, 1911.
When the convention met" said Mr..
| Street, Mr.. Thompson called it to or
| der. There was no protest from any
where"
The Long committee chosen by the
convention was recognized by all fac
tons, he said.
When the Republican National COM
mittee invalidated the selection of ma
tional delegations made by the August
convention. Chairman Long, on Jan. 3
1912. called another state convention.
held March Z. 1912. at which the Long
delegates were reelected.
Mr. Street characterized as a re
fnenlent of technicality" the claim o
the Thompson faction that all acts of
the Aug. 81 convention were invalid
because the Republican National COM
mittee refused to recognize delegates
elected earlier than Jan. l. 1912. He
characterized it as "a proposition so
absurd as TO scarcely require answer.
Following the roll call, leading men,
hers of the committee intimated that
roll calls would be granted whenever
asked for by members of the COM
mittee While the original demand of
Senator Borah was voted down. ii IS
understood to be the purpose of the
committee to allow a record vote to
bcs taken whenever Roosevelt members
desire IT, Senators Penrose and Crane
were among those who Joined Senator
Borah and the Roosevelt members in
asking for the roll call in the Alabama
case.
The 9Th District case settled down TO
question of whether r, II. Harding
and William Latham, who participant
ed in the Taft committee meeting.
We're legally members of the district
committee. Afiidavits were presented
by both sides. Judge Hundley present
ed MIR Harding's resignation on the
strength of which a new member had
been appointed by the chairman. a
Roosevelt man.
Mr.. Birch presented an affidavit
from Mr.. Harding that he had tried
to Withdraw his resignation before the
district committee, but had been re-
fused.
~
bama, who was present, was called
upon. and said he believed lie had the
right to appoint "A successor to Hard
ing.
you claim you had the right to
accept designations without reference
to the committee, do you?" asked Ma
tional Committeeman Martin of yir-
ginia. Il do said Farley.
The vote on the 9th District brought
the days first definite lineup-3s to
15--in favor of the so-called Taft deli
egates and closed the Alabama con-
tests.
The Arkansas Contests.
The Arkansas contests. involving 10
seats. four of Observation-Disclosures and
II from Congressional Districts We're
called Immediately.
Fourteen Roosevelt men appeared
with ]. A. Conner of Little Rock as
their spokesman, to urge their claims
TO place on the temporary roll of the
National committee. Association with
former Senator Dick in presenting the
Taft cases were ]. L. Remmell of
Little Rock, and Wallace Townsend.
also of Arkansas. The Roosevelt men
charged that the Arkansas Republic
can organization consisted of Post
masters and other federal employees,
the sole purpose of which organization
is the distribution of federal patron
age. They declared Fraud, intimi-
dation and violence" had been threat
ened against the Roosevelt adherents.
when we appeared at the conven-
tion hall, we were met with revolvers
and clubs" declared Mr.. Conner.
Two Democratic constables were
stationed inside the doors with orders
to prevent any Roosevelt delegate from
getting in. At least one of our men
was struck i'll the head by one of those
In the county in which this was al
legged to have occurred, Mr.. Conner
said that 109 delegates to the county
were for Roosevelt and
only 70 for Taft, but the guards kept
the Roosevelt men out. He declared
the question of regularity" could not
be raised in Arkansas because there
is no Republican party in the state,
1.-THE organization is a postmaster
syndicate" he said, and
it would take shotguns to break up
the system"
Mr. Kennel, taking up the defence
for the Taft delegates, said that pro-
testing delegation, much like that be-
fore the National committee had gone
to Washington several years ago and
protested to President Roosevelt
against Republican conditions in the
state.
He told them to go back to Arkan-
sas and nominate ticket, and If they
won, he would recognize them as the
Republican party in the state" He
said the faction was defeated to l in
the election Il saw President Roose-
welt later" said Mr.. Remmei and ask
ed him who constituted the Republican
part in Arkansas. You do; he said"
Mir. Remmel declared the selection
of state and district delegates had
been entirely regular and proper. In
the country. where Mr.. Conner alleged
Fraud and "Rascality' had oc-
CURED, the Roosevelt forces did not
even take their contest to the state
committee or before the committee on
credentials. The Taft delegates from
Tho 9TH Mist riot were rpnraSppted bV