The Washington times., 1912-06-20
Fate of Party Will Be De-
cided In Few
Hours.
TAFT LEADERS ARE
AWED BY PROTESTS
Make Concessions Sufficient to
Permit Credentials Committee
to Resume Work.
By IUDSoN c. wELLIvER.


CHICAGO, June oo.-After a wild night
Of bolt, split, and party disruption, the
delegates to the national convention this
morning were In calmer frame Of mind,
and it was the determination of the
Roosevelt followers that they should re-
enter the convention when 1t opened at
noon.
Whether they will remain there was
etill a.close question. The developments
Of a few pregnant hours In the most
pressing crisis the party has ever faced,
must determine, in all probability. the
fate of the party that has ruled the
country most of the last half century.
The explosion, toward which every
thing has been tending since the con-
vention opened, was precipitated by the
action Of the committee on credentials
last night, in organizing itself into a
worse steam roller ever than the ma
thetional committee had been. Arro-
gant, confident. utterly reckless OF con-
sequences. and believing they had the
Roosevelt people broken and cowed, the
tory leaders had determined from that
moment forward to steam roll their way
without remorse or consideration for de-
cency or form.
Machine Gets Going.
The, committee organized by electing
'rhomas H. Devine, OF Colorado. chair
man. The vote was ~ to 81. Then
the machine began to put over things.
set, of rules was proposed and adopt
eo, which made the committees bus-
ness travesty. 1t proposed to give five
minutes to each for the presentation of
contests on district delegates. and ten
minutes to a side in presenting cases
involving State delegations. This means
sfnply that there could be no presenta-
ton at all. and that the committee was
determined to make the thing nearly
pro lorna, with the ineyitabl result of
giving the credentials to the same dele
gates to whom they had been awarded
by the national committee.
Al this the Roosevelt people entered
violent protest. There was a hastv con-
suitauon with the quarters OF ColoneI
f'ooseVelt over the telephone The
colonels followers renewed their nro.
test. and finally left the committee de-
ciaring they could not submit to such
treatment.
when this became known II was
niIeu as the premonition of a gen.
eial oolt' The tories had not believed
'iey would force such situation,
ana "hen they discovered that they had
oVerplayed their hand they were scared
haI1 to death. Men of both factions
with banched faces and tremhIins
hands. scurried about the hall lobbies
the clubs, and the Coliseum, where the
credentials committee was at work
asking questions. advising, debating
next. ~ ""ppeii
At the rooms OF Colonel Rooseyo,,
whence the orders had gone out thai
look the progressive members out of
the committee meeting, a conference OF
asiesates was hurriedy summoned Ii
in the hotel, and the colonel made a
red-hot speech The word almost in
Stantly got abroad that 1t really meant
oolt; that Roosevelt was determined
upon IL IL the committee persisted In the
purpose of stealing the delegations
rtShtfully elected for him. and that his
followers were ready to go with him.
Fear a General Bolt.
1t was a night of the most frenzied
excitement. The California delegation
met and determined to stand by the
most radical program that the pro.
gressives should present. PENNSYLVANIA
did the same. Sinister suggestion oI
party disintegration was presented by
the action OF William Finn, of Pitts.
hurgh, who presented his resignation tc
the delegation, and asked that new
man, also a progressive, be named in
his place; He explained that his rea.
son for this action was that he wanted
to be freeyto follow Roosevelt, what,
ever may happen: II he was compelled
10 bolt, this would leave the place or
the national committee vacant. and The
tories on the delegation would promptI,
name Penrose to MI the vacancy. s.
before anything like disruption oc
curred,rFlinn resigned and left the posi-
tion in the hands of a man who CoulC
preserve the forms of regularity and re
tain progressive representation in the
committee
The announcement of this move hat
most SOLDERING effe"t among the wild
~ excited delegates and politicians il
the lobo:rs. The Congress Hotel wd
fairly seethinS with excitement from
il o'clock till early this morning Man
congressman had come in from Wash
ington during the day. Realizing tha
holt and split meant in many case
their defeat and retirement, they wer
Counsellng moderation and a last enor
TO save the situation.
Protest To the End.
The rank ANA file OF the delegate
from the prOgr"ssv" States were eel
orally In favor OF whatever Cours
might be necessary to make their pro
test mcst effective. Minnesota. Cali
f"rnia AMI pennsylvania were ma
clear through. The three States sen
word that they would take more tina
l'1 delegates out % the convention
SUHth Dakota. NeGrlsHa. Kansas. an
others lined up with the movement
So late 1t nigh: did the smash come
and so unexpected and sudden, tina
leaders and delegates were scattered a
over town. rdXIcabs were sent, /
charge of scouts. seal ching among hu
tens, cafes. roof gardens at dinner par
lies. ana country clubs, to gather !
the men who must in these dramsti
iunctuTcs i"tsTninc the fate of tn
party. b. 1880 a, m. they were rollin
fack in long lines. parked about IN
toREress, while the striGhted, az