Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-06-13


can national committee today de-
cidsd the Kentuek contests The four
delegates at large were given to
Taft, also the two delegates from
the First Kentucky district. The
vote on each was 3S 70 IL.
Things were exceedingly noisy and
lively at both the Taft and Roose-
velt headquarters due in a great
part to the arrival Of William Barnes
Jr., of New York, at the presidente'
camp and Governor Hadley Of Mis-
souri, at the former executives. Tan
partisans gave q lively welcome for
Barnes. Barnes is expected to begin
early to attempt to strengthen the
cause OF Senator Root for tempor-
ary and permanent chairman of the
convention
The Taft forces were in jDvial
spirits today following their victor
ious fight in the committee yester-
day which resulted In seating OF the
contested delegates in Indiana for
the president. Only optimistic lore
casts of the result of future contests
were heard among the Taft forces.
Indiana far Taft
At yesterdays sessions OF the COM
mittee 12 more delegates were add
ed positively to the Taft column,
With the seventy two delegates com
prised in the southern contests de-
cided last week, in the Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida and Georgia cases
today's gains make a total of eighty
four delegates added to the Taft
forces by the decisions of the ma
tional committee. With the 20l
instructed and uncontested delegates
credited to him, they bring his total
on the total counting other contests
that may be decided for him. A large
proportion OF the ITO cases still to
be passed On by the Oommittee rep
resent dsssgates instructed for TAFT
the precise number being the sub
ject of much dispute
The cases decided yesterday we're
those of the Indiana delegation at
large, four in number, headed BY
Colonel Harry s. New, chairman Of
the convention COMMITTEES Of ar
rangements, and including former
vice President Charles w. Fairbanks
and the district delegatiOns Of two
each from the First, Third and Thir-
teenth districts. The contest in the
Fourth district was withdrawn and
the committee epnfirmed the two
sitting (Taft) delegates.
Contests Are Flim@y.
There are 254 Contested" dele
gates. Most Of this large number
were elected and Instructed for Taft,
but contests were filed simply to
place them in the contested" list
and keep them ont of the Taft list
thus belittling Taft's real strength.
More TAFT delegates about whose fair
election there could be no honest
question might have been added to
the contested" list, and the Taft
hat thereby further shortened, but
II wasn't considered necessary; the
true relative standing had been suf-
ficiently misrepresented
What the Rivals Claim.
The Roosevelt people since Mr..
Flinn's arrival have made the most
careful estimates Of President Taft's
strength after all Of the contests
nave been decided against Col.
Roosevelt. These Roosevelt men do
not put President Taft's strength
beyond 555 delegates, and they de-
clare that President Taft's managers
have put in that total number Of
delegates from North Carolina, Ala
bama, Georgia, Arkansas. Virginia,
Delaware, kentucky and New York
Who win eventually Be found not in
the Taft column.
The TAFT managers, replying 70
these assertions. insist that with all
of the contests decided against Col
ROOvsvelt. TAFT viii have So totes
mots tfan the necessary $40 to
nonaihEts him. These tieurss are