Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-05-26
ROOSEVELT OBJECTS TO ROOT
McHarg Declares Colonel's Forces
Will Not Abide by Selection.
RosEwATER MAKES STATEMENT
Acting Chairman of the Nafonaa
Committee says Delegates WIN
Have Opportunity to
Elect Chairman. q


Colonel Theodore Roosevelt's campaign
for the republican presidential nomina-
ton, last night declared that the Roose-
welt forces would refuse to abide by the
selection of United States Senator Eiihu
Root of New York. as temporary chair
man of the national convention.
McHarg said that the Roosevelt msu-
ayers would insist on the naming OF
chairman in accord with the Roosevelt
policies The names of Governor Her
bert S. Hadley OF Missouri. Governor
Hiram W. johnson of California and
Senator Moses Z. Clapp Of Minnesota
were mentioned by McHarg as being ac-
ceptable in this connection to the Roose-
Welt forces. ~
McHsrg spent several hours In Chi
cago today with the Illinois Roosevelt
managers on his way to st. Paul. where
tomorrow he will meet delegation
from the state of Washington to map
out plans for the presentation of Wash.
ingt0 contests to the contest committee
in Chicago. McHarg said he would have
charge OF all Roosevelt contests to be
taken before the republican national
committee this year, as he did four years
ago for President Taft.
Root Not Acceptable.
When the convention meets" said
McHarg. "the Roosevelt strength will be
such that We will control. absolutely. We
propose to organize that convention along
lines that will not be at all comfortable
for Senator Root to preside. That con-
vention must have as chairman man
who is In accord with Colonel Roose-
velts views and policies and that means
II must be some one other than Senator
Root. 1t is obviously impossible TO have
a chairman delivering a keynote speech
who is out OF sympathy with Colonel
Roosevelt and the progressive cause.
There is no other side to that question"
In discussing the subject of the con-
tests TO be brought before the national
committee. McHarg said there would bs
at least go or go contested seats as
against 20 contested seats at the 1903
national convention. He will return To-
Chicago June to take up the active
work of presenting contests to the com.
mittee on June 6. t..-.
June 3. 1t was said tonight. will signal.
ize the opening Of activities in Chicago
for the final pre-convention struggle be-
tween Taft and Roosevelt forces. On
that date Taft and the Roosevelt national
headquarters will be moved from WASH
ington. D. c., to Chicago. Congressman
William B. Mckinley of Illinois will rs
in personal charge of the Taft headouar-
tiers and United States Senator Dixon OF
Roosevelt bureau.
There were number Of developments
at the headquarters OF the national COM
mittee at the Coliseum this afternoon.
- NsgeI Picks Proxy.
Charles Nagei, secretary Of commerce
and Labor. II was announced. had decided
not to sit on the contest committee OF
the national organization and had dele
gated his proxy as national committee.
man Of Missouri to Congressman Richard
Bartholdt OF Missouri.
William Hayward. secretary OF the ma
tional committee. during the day receivei
the papers in contests from Georgia and
Missouri at large and from the First.
Third. Fourth. Fifth, Seventh. Tenth and
Twelfth Georgia districts.
Assistant sergeant-at-Arms Lewis Of
the democratic national convention, to bs
held at Baltimore. inspected seating ar
rangements and other details for the pur-
pose OF getting ideas on which to deter
mine similar arrangements for the Balti-
more convention.
First Ballot Not Decisive.
Neither Taft nor Roosevelt VIII have 6M
pledged delegates. the required number
to nominate. in the republican national
convention. according to opinions ex-
pressed during discussion OF the prob
able lineup by members Of the national
committee here today. The members
agreed that the control of the convention
would be in the hands of the unrestricted
delegates. but would vouchsafe no guess
as to what their action might be in the
matter of selecting candidate.
A supporter Of Taft on the COMMITTEES
declared that even II Roosevelt won all
the delegates yet to be CHOSEN, he stili
would be short OF the necessary $40 votes.
II Is expected that the first real test
vote between the Taft and Roosevelt
forces in the convention will be on the
adoption Of the report Of the COMMITTEES
on credentials. Every contest passed on
by the national committee probably will
be taken before the committee Jon--cre-
dentials and fought out on the floor Of
the convention. The committee. it Is pre-
dicted. will be about evenly divided, and
majority and minority reports are almost
certain TO be presented to the convention.
The members Of the national committee
who have considered the matter do not
expect fight to be made on the selection
OF Erhu Root as temporary chairman Of
the convention.
RosEwATER MAKES STATEMENT