Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-27
Eaah Viii Have 0ne-HaIf Vote at
Chicago Meeting.
TAFT MEN RESIST STUBBGRNLY
Gathering Remarkable for Desperate
Resistance Shown
FOUR DISTINCT BATTLES FOUGHT
Some of the Taft Supporters Hold
Separate Meeting at . Hotel
and Name q CostestinS
Slnte.

s. Radley and his friends early today
swung the Missouri state republican
convention for Colonel Roosevelt after
twenty-four hour deadlock In which the
Taft leaders finally were driven to com
r!ete route. Eight delegates at large to
the nat!onsI republican convention. all
Roosevelt men and all instructed for him.
were elected after two Taft leaders had
been elected and then had resigned their
places on the Missouri delegation when
the convention voted instruction for
Roosevelt.
The convention win go down IN the
most stubborn and dramatic fights In the
history Of the state republican organiza-
ton.
Mayor Frederick II. Krelsmsn Of St,
Louis and Charles D. Morris OF St.
Joseph. the Ia 'er chairman of the state
committee were the. Taft leaders elected
and who resigned as delegates at large
to the national convention when the state
convention voted to instruct the delega-
tion for Roosevelt
HadIey Denies Charse.
In making their designations they
charged violations Of a 'gentlemans
agreement by which they declared the
Roosevelt managers had assured that
the delegates at large would be un.n-
structed.
Governor Hadley replied TO the declaras
tlons OF Mayor Kreismann and Chairman
Morris in this connection by asserting
that he had not been a party to any So
called "gentlemen's agreement" The gov
ernor asserted that throughout the bitter
fight which preceded the formal opening
OF the convention he had refused to At
tempt to deliver the votes OF Roosevelt
delegates on any proposition.
The eight deiegates-at-large to the na-
tional convention. each with one-half
vote, finally elected by the state con-
ventlon. follow:
Governor Herbert s. Hadley. Jesse To-
lerton OF Bronson. Walter 8. Dickey Of
Kansas City. Fred Essen Of Clayton,
John d. McNeeley OF 81. Joseph, Hugh
Meindoe OF Joplin, John W. Tippfn Of
Springfield and Alfred H. Spear Of Cha
mois
As national committeeman from Mis-
souri. TO succeed Charles Nagel secre-
tary Of commerce and labor. the state
convention elected Thomas X. Niedring-
haas OF St Louis
Four Distinct Flights.
The Roosevelt forces only achieved final
sweeping success in the convention after
four distinct fights with the Taft leaders.
Nrh
The first fight came on the question OF
seating contested delegations from Kan
sas City. st. Joseph and other important
points in the state, This fight occupied
all Of Wednesday night and late Thurs
day resulted In the seating of nearly all
the Roosevelt delegates
The second bitterly contested point was
that regarding chairman of the conyen-
tion. Governor Hadley was placed in that
position after his followers had demon
strated that they held the balance of
votes on the convention floor.
The third struggle came in the resoIu-
tions committee. where Taft men refused
10 endorse Roosevelt. After the commit
tee had submitted one report to the con-
vention 1t was withdrawn and an amplI-
fled report containing straight endorse
ment of Colonel Roosevelt was presented
and adopted by acclamation. A minority
report was as promptly voted down on
roll call.
Final Battle.
The final battle, .~after daylight had
flooded the big armory and the delegates
were almost completely worn out by their
ell day and all night struggle. was on the
question Of instructing the eight dele
gates-at-large to the national convention.
The Taft forces. led by members OF the
81 Louis delegation. made a last rally in
efforts to prevent fiat instructions for
Roosevelt
But they were swept off their feet BIZ
the no. dominant Roosevelt tide and by
a vote OF more than , to the Roosevelt
forces carried their point. which resulted
in the withdrawal OF Mayor Kriesmann
and Chairman Morris as delegates to the
Chicago convention and the election Of
Roosevelt men in their places.
After the adjournment of the convsn. |
tiOn small number Of Taft supporters
met In hotel and named four DELEGATES
at-large to the national convention.
The Taft delegation was announced. as
following
Joseph E. Black. Of Richmond. Mo-:
John A. Duncan Of st. Joseph; Berrt- |
man Henwood. Of Hannibal and Harry
ID. Train. OF Kansas City.
Former State Senator Henry L. Eads.
OF Jamesport. presided. while B. L. Guf-