Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-22

lof the Taft delegates as the "tyranical
overthrow of the viii of the people of
California. Halbert attempted to make
H. speech. but was forced to desist by
disorder.
/ Watson, the Taft floor leader. moved
that the minority report be laid on the
table but pending that he asked that
&c minutes be allowed for discussion.
His motion was granted with jeers and
lcries of "Hadley Hadley. Hadley."
TIE Missouri Governor arose from
his place on the stage and the noise
subsidized
Senator Root put the request for
WIS granted
Francis j. Heney for the minority re-
pert. said the question at issue went
to the very root Of government
whether the law of sovereign states,
submitted 10 by both factions in the
party should be set aside by the man
date Of the National committee.
He denounced what ne termed an
attempt to rob the people of Califor-
MIA of their right representatives"
Heney said the two Taft delegates
seated by the National COMMITTEES. Try
49, anu My iltiti, iistt ilOl uditd 10 SIT
with the remainder of the California
delegation but had taken refuge in the
vest pocket Of somebody on this plat
form"
Before these two men were able to
run under the primary law he said,
| both they and the men they want to
represent We're forced to pledge them
selves TO abide by the preferential vote
i.af h. CO.. I'll n. e.
| and II the now accepts the vote of
| these two men in this convention ne
will ne guilty of high treason.'s
! Heney declared that it was absolute
! ly impossible under the returns of the
| election 10 decide what the vote was
in an individual district Heney CON
Guided with a statement that Tryon
| secured less votes than IA other Taft
delegates in California. who failed of
| election
/ Congressman Serene Payne of New
York, author of the Payne tariff bill
/ was greeted with mingled cheers and
boots as he appeared to take up the
argument for the Taft delegates
| Payne asked for a patient hearing
His declaration that the Taft dele
| gates had been seated by the supreme
| law of national Republicanism was
| greeted with a prolonged chorus of
Kisses, groans and boos. The demon
stration grew until Senator Root took
a hand with this warning. "No cause
| in a Republican National convention
was ever won by drowning speech on
either side" Mr.. Payne said he pro-
| posed to be heard IF il took four
hours"
| Payne reviewed party precedent
| from the time, of Lincoln in an effort
! to show that the National conventions
/ had always assumed the right to direct
the manner of selecting delegates. He
| declared the California statewide pri-
| mary law was forced through the Cal
| ifornia Legislature because of fear
of the Roosevelt people that Taft
would get several of the congressional
| districts under the method of selecting
delegates by districts. why don't
you elect your Presidential electors
that way" asked a member Of the
| California delegation.
| Because we have no control over
| that" retorted PAYNE.
! Floor Leader Watson took up the
| Taft argument when Mr.. Payne had
| concluded.
Unit rule by primary is no better
| than unit rule by decree of eonyen-
| ton" said Watson.
at is robbBg the people of con-
| gressional district of the right to say
who their delegates shall be. Shall the
majority in Los Angeles decree who
| shall be the delegates from San Fran
| ciseo?"
/ mo. no." said some delegates.
1.-The state Is not sovereign over a con-
gressional district Watson concluded.
Gov. Johnson of California followed.
He strobe TO the front of the stage,
clutchiag a legal document in his hand.
| This question:" he said, sis far more
than the question of seating two individ-
ual delegates. The question goes to the
very root of Republicanism. 1t is Shall
| the people ruler You men of the East
may sneer at the new Progressiveism
| that has come like giant out of the
| West. but all thinking men, today, rec
| ognize that the revolution is on in this
| country. and Progressiveism is sure to
! triumph
| johnson declared the present conven-
ton had demonstrated the absolute ne
cessity of extending the Presidential
preference primary and extolled the d.
| rect primary as the fundamental princi-
| pie of progressivism.
| He said President Taft agreed to and
accepted the California primary law
| when he accepted the delegates named
| for him, to be voted for in a group. I'M
der that acceptance, he said, Taft was
| estopped from accepting the vote of
| single delegate from California. Gov
| Johnson's time expired in the midst of
| his speech. He asked five minutes more
and it was granted. He spoke with great
vehemence and apparently in great an
ger.
johnson denounced. as unaualtiedly and
absolutely false, the claim that the Tart
| delegates received the highest votes in
| the fourth district. TIL registrar of
| IL. nn,,ntu he said had declared IL Inn