The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-19


claiming that Col. Roosevelt will con-
troll the Republican national conven-
ton and be named for president on
the first ballot, the Roosevelt leaders
spent today working out the details
of their plan of attack on the Taft
programme as outlined last night
Moderation was counseled in the
two warning camps throughout the
day and had its effect. There were
occasional flashes of fire and charges
Of theft" and fraud" 10y the Roose-
Welt forces, Of bribery" and "corrup-
ton at the headquarters. but it was
everywhere agreed that the day had
been of the quietest preceding any
convention in years.
Uncertainty as to the result of the
convention was as prevalent tonight
as at any time since the national Re-
publican forces began their invasion
of Chicago. and neither the Taft nor
the Roosevelt headquarters were GER
tain as To the number of the dele
gates they could depend upon with
any degree of certainty. The claims
and figures put out--each side claim
ing a clear majority-were those Of
hope rather than conviction.
| One thing appeared certain tonight,
that If there is to be bolt it is a long
way off and will only occur after ev-
cry expedient Of strategy and parlia-
mentary practice has been exhausted
by trained and resourceful leaders.
| Although Col. Roosevelt In his
speech at the Auditorium came as
close To suggesting a possible bolt as
at any time during his campaign 1t
had been tentatively decided by the
Roosevelt leaders to fight 10 the end
through all of the parliamentary
channels open to them before taking
any radical step.
| Col. Roosevelt asserted that the
men "fraudulently put on the tempo
rary roll by the dishonest action Of
the majority of the national commit
tee should not be allowed to vote on
their own case. or to vote on one an
others"
| Then he added:
1T Is the duty of all the honest
members of the convention 10 fight
that action from the moment the con-
vention assemblies. 1t is our duty to
the rank and file Of the Republican
party; IL Is our duty to- the people of
this country to insist that no action
of the convention which is based on
the votes of these fraudulently seated
delegates binds the Republican party
or imposes any obligations upon any
Republican,"
/ This outline of the Roosevelt cam
paign, coming from the colonel him
self. served to set at rest all doubt
as To change of programme from
that decided upon at conference of
the Roosevelt leaders last night "to
fight from the drop of the hat"
The Roosevelt leaders are going to
attempt from the very start tomor-
row to appeal their case to the con-
vention itself. minus the contested del
egates seated by the national com
mittcc. The Taft forces are going to
Insist that the proceeding shall move
strictly according to precedent and
that each motion shall stand the test
of parliamentary practice.
On the eve Of the convention both
sides plainly were nervous. 1t was
difficult enough for them To reach any
sort Of conclusion as to how the dele.
gates finally would line up on the
question of the nomination and next
to impossible To determine just what
delegates or delegations could be de-
pended upon To put through the pre-
limlnary programme.
Some Of the delegates instructed for
Col. Roosevelt. it was known. would
not support all Of the moves made Us
his steering committee on the conVcn-
tion floor, while il appeared equally
certain that many Of the delegates IN
StruCtcd for Taft for president did not
feel obligated TO support his managers
ON any other question. These facts
threw an element Of doubt into the sit
uation and gave To every prospective
move in the convention an uncer-
tainty unknown i'm recent years in the
Republican party.
| Col. w. II. Scarborough, Of Dalzell