Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-16
THE CONTESTS At CHICAGO.

THE CONTESTS At cHlcAGo.
A correspondent, R. A. DAVIDSON OF
Arthur, ILL.,, recognizing the fairness,
sanity and candor Of the comments OF
The Record Herald on political issues
and affairs, asked it to say frankly
and explicitly what it thinks OF the
charges of fraud and delegate-ste ealing
made against the Taft men in the Chi
cago convention. These charges The
r ecord- Herald says, have caused tens
of thousands of republicans much pain
and uneasiness, Mr.. DAWSON observes,
i and an impartial opinion would be
deeply appreciated Answering the
question The Record Herald says:
Sincerely and frankly, then, The
! Record Herald does not know whether
there was fraud or misunderstanding at
| the republican convention. It believes
and said at the time, that two Califor-
mia district delegates were improperly
seated under party anti-unit rule
that should have been set aside in
obedience to CALIFORNIA; new primary
law. We do not believe in any unit
rule, but under the new system of
popular expressions of preference and
morally pledged delegates the state
fornia case an issue of principle, law
and morals was involved, and any IN,
telligent observer could easily get at
the merits of the contest.
Not so in a single one Of the other
contests. How many of the delegates
actually knew what the evidence was
! on either side in any of these con-
! tests? That many of the contests were
trivial and baseless was conceded by
the Roosevelt adherents on the ma.
tional committee and on the creden.
tials committee. Unanimous decisions
were rendered In some cases. In sew
eral other Roosevelt or La Toilette
men voted with Taft men.
Finally Of the 252 delegates con-
tested only as to some seventy dele
gates was the charge of fraud and
stealing made responsibility and emphat-
ically. It is still iterated and reiter-
ated, but it is as unqualifiedly and
vehemently denied by Taft supporters.
President Butler Of Columbia has ex.
plicitly denied it, Mr.. Bryan saw
"bias," but he did not charge fraud or
conscious misconduct. A La Toilette
delegate has formally reported" to
his chief that in bis opinion there was
absolutely no fraud, no conscious tax
Ing" of delegates. A pledged Roose-
welt delegate from Massachusetts,
Loyal L. Jenkins Of Boston, who full
filled every obligation he owed to his
constituents, says in signed state
ment:
I'm the so-called contested cases
there was chance for an honest Diff
ference of opinion. After carefully
hearing the points In controversy, l
concluded that no fraud or shadow of
fraud could honestly be charged
against anyone. Holding that belief.
contend that the nomination was
properly and legally made"
On the other hand, many Roosevelt
men are convinced that there was
fraud or willful stealing OF delegates.
How is an outsider who wishes to be
fair and honest to decide whether
there was fraud or not? The Record
Herald does not know, does not believe
in calling reputable men thieves with.
out evidence, and has, therefore, de-
clined to express a positive opinion.
It earnestly wishes that there were
in existence body of independent,
high-minded, absolutely trustworthy
men to whom the contests might be
submitted. There Is no such body;
there was no such body at Chicago.
! The machinery there employed was
not new. It had been used before. Con-
tests had been decided before, and not
always with universal satisfaction. In
! 1908 there were PIT contests, and the
Roosevelt men decided only three
against their own side. The contests
| were heard and decided, In 1908 as In
1912, by the agencies created for that
! purpose, and the convention upheld
them under the usual parliamentary
rules and presidents. If the methods
and machinery are bad, they have
been bad for decades. Why has no pro-
vision been made for an appeal from
committees to some impartial and out
side body? None, apparently, has
been deemed necessary. Whom, then,
are we to blame for the particular sit
uation in 1912?
GOOD NEWS FOR THE HOUSEWIFE
Mother Nature Is exerting herself
just now to Offset any business de-
~