Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-22
ROOSEVELT MEN
EXPECTING TO
0RGAN|zELATER
Display Of Taft Strength
Thus Far Will Doubtless
Prompt T. RS Men to
Hold Another Convention
[BY ]. X. DOUGHERTY.]

Chicago, Convention Hall, June 81.
The Taft majority in the national
convention is standing pat. After the
air had been full OF the widest ru-
mors for twenty-four hours another
roll call vote on the method of pro-
ceeding with the vote on the creden-
tials committee showed Taft major
ity of seventy, gain over the preced-
ing roll This disposes of some Of the
talk that some of the Taft leaders
who were thinking of dropping Taft.
New alignments would have shown
in the voting aside from increased
Taft strength If the Taft men had not
been sitting tight In preparation for
Ia fight to the end.
The convention was in pande-
monium before it had been in session
ten minutes. Tempers were displayed
in the parliamentary exchange leading
up to the voting on Governor Hadley's
motion to deny vote on the Gre
dentials committees report to the con-
teSLed delegaCes.
When the roll was called the Watson
motion to lay Hadley's motion on the
table the excitement became intense.
There were howls and shouts from
the floor, showing that only spark
was needed to touch Of fthe powder
When California was reached Gov
ernor Johnson and scores OF other
delegates were on the floor shouting.
The convention was given proof OF
the temper of the California men when
the clerk turned toward the gallery to
cali the names of the two Taft men on
the delegation. The feeling was 80 IN
tense that these men could not sit
with the Roosevelt Californtans.
What remains to be seen now Is
whether the Roosevelt men will go
through with their program. Up to
the point where the two motions on
the credentials committees reports
had been tabled on roll call votes the
program as dictated by Roosevelt to-
day to his leaders was carried out.
The next step in the program Is for
the convention to adopt the report or
the credentials committee as it Is pre-
sented piece meal. Only the ninth
Alabama contest thus far has been
submitted. Defeated in this matter as
they certainly will be, the Roosevelt
men are said to be planning to remain
in the convention but not participate,
and organize new convention when
this one closes.
The Taft supporte continued to
score on further tests, finally show
ing sos votes to 4S4 for the opposition
on the motion to table the minority
report on the Alabama contests.
The majority report was then
adopted by viva voce vote. The con-
vention then recessed briefly, await
ing a further report from the creden-
tials committee.
This means bolt if they 90 through
with it, but the Roosevelt men find
the word bolt frightens about half
their supporters away, so they call 1t
organizing a new convention. The
question now seems to be whether the
Taft men have $40 votes. If they
have Taft will be nominated whether
Roosevelt bolts or not. If they have
not Cummins, Hadley and Root have a
look in. Tomorrow may decide 1t but
this is not certain. Many believe the
convention cannot possibly close this
week.
The reseult of the roll call showed a
stronger victory for the Taft side than
was won on either of the two preced-
ing roll calls. The vote was $50 to 499,
a Taft majority Of seventy, whereas
the former roll call majorities were
fifty-nine and fifty-four.
The delegates and thousands of visi-
tors blocked the entrance to the COLI
scum today as the convention opened
on what may prove to be the most I'm
portant session. Just what the pro-
gram would be was not fully known.
There had been all night conferences
in the camps of all the presidential
candidates. Rumors were flying thick
and fast Of the overnight surprises
ready to be sprung.
Bill Finn; False Alarm.
OF all the false alarms that ever
was injected into the proceedings Of
national convention, William Finn OF
Pittsburg, judged by his actions to
date, is the biggest and most dis
appointing.
Finn was rushed to Chicago by
Theodore Roosevelt as the white
hope fhis cause.
He was sent to Chicago by Roose-
velt to be the foil Of William Barnes,
Jr.. the New York political boss, who
gave Roosevelt couple of memorable
;,clitical trouncings. Barnes was Sc
lected to be the brains and Drawn of
the Taft fight on the floor. and he is
said to have made the statement that
be would like to try the physical
courage OF the colonel himself on the
rioor of the national committee or or
the convention itself. When this
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