The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-11
TAFT ENDORSED IN
NEW YORK STATE
CONVENTION
Resolutions Urge Delegates to
Vote for the President
PLATFORM OPPOSES RECALL
Controller w. A. Prendereast Tells
Convention That Taft Can't Be
Elected
PLATFORM OPPOSES RECALL

Rochester, N. Y, April IL. 1912
The republican party of New York
state at its spring convention yester-
day declared for the denomination OF
President William II. Taft and adopt
ed resolution urging the states
delegation to the Chicago national
convention to vote to that end. The
Taft presidential plank found an OPP
ponent in City Controller William A.
Prendergast of New York, who made
a vigorous speech against the plat
form and declared that President
Taft could not be reelected. Mr.
Prendergast was the Roosevelt dele
gate from Kings county and his was
the only speech made in opposition
to the platform which was adopted
viva voce with only few dissenting
votes by the 1915 delegates.
United States Senator Elihu Root
one of the big four" selected to 90
to Chicago, was the chief champion
of the platform and made a speech in
which he vigorously defended the
American judicial system and sharp
ly attacked the recall of judges. That
the declaration of eternal principles
set up by the people for their guild
ance is a covenant between arbitrary
and overwhelming power and the
weakness of individuals was the sen
ator's assertion To tell a Judge thai
if he makes an unpopular decision he
will be recalled makes coward Of
Inn hn ~ fi
the judicial system of restraint upon
the people makes possible the con
tinuance of the countrys free institu
tons.
The days session was given ovel
entirely to speeches on the platform
Senator Root, James w. Wadsworth
former speaker of the Assembly, Mir
Prendergast and Job Hedges OF New
York were speechmakers. After tht
vote on the platform and the selec
ton of the delegates-at-large anC
their alternates, the convention ad
iourned. The delegates chosen ar,
United States Senator Elihu Root
State Chairman William Barnes, Jr,
William Berri OF Brooklyn and Ed
win A. Merritt, speaker Of the stat,
Assembly The alternates are Sena
tor Edgar T. Bracket of Saratoga
Charles w. Anderson of New York
George W. Whitehead OF Niagara
Falls and b. w. Brownrof New York
Mr.. Prendergast protested against
the charge made that those who fav
ored certain progressive policie!
were socialists. 81 protest against
the idea of that man who for half o.
10 years presided over the destinie:
OF this nation, being characterized
as a patent medicine man." sale
Mr.. Prendergast, amid applause. Tn,
speaker defended the initiative, ref
erendum and the recall. Senator
Root has told you" he said, not L
engraft the recall in our judicial sys
TEN, as 1t would make towards of tn,
judges, but you cant make coward
out Of a man unless he is a coward.
Mr.. Prendergast said that the recen
presidential primaries caused him {,
believe that President Taft could no
be elected. III you are going to rur
upon President Taft's record, VIII
the inadvertence of leaving out
reciprocity plank in the PLATFORM"
Job h. Hedges OF New York follow
ed Mr., Prendergast to second m,
platform, saying that ut now begin.
to look Ike a real convention. DR.
Butler needs no defense from me, bu