Connecticut western news., 1912-06-27

The split has come. Colonel TheO- dore Roosevelt withheld his name from the fifteenth Republican. national con. vention. He directed his delegates to remain In the convention, but not vote. He was indorsed by his followers to lead third party.
 It was bolt, yet not bolt. Claim ing the convention roll had not been purged Of alleged illegally seated Taft delegates, the colonel would have noth- ing to do with it.
 President Taft was renominated, with Vice President Sherman.
 Roosevelt's action in tossing his hat into the ring against his former friend, the president, made the pri- mary campaign remarkable. His with drawal of his delegates from voting, when his last hope was gone. and his announcement of leading a third party of progressives was still more remark able in the annals of Republican con. ventions.
 Nothing Like It Before.
 Nothing like this had ever happened since the time Fremont was chosen for president in the first convention of the Republican party, in 1856, in Philadel. phia. After years of easy going sue cess, broken by the Cleveland terms, the G. O. P. now faces the critical pc riod in its history. What will Roose- veIt's progressive bolt amount tor What will the Democrats now do at Baltimore? These are now the ques- tons of the hour.
 The Taft forces controlled the con vention from the start through favor able decisions by the national commit tee and later by the credentials com mittee. At no time did the Roosevelt forces muster a majority Of the 1,0TS delegates.
 The Rooseveltians shouted "Steam roller" throughout
 The presidents forces shouted little, but they elected their man Thelr ma chine worked smoothly.
 The convention was not unlnterest- ing. Far from 1t Everybody looked for the bolt. the stampede, the strong arm work at any moment. Roosevelt was in the limelight until the last day All the "hurrah" settled around him It was a fight to beat him more than to nominate Taft.
 Taft Controlled All Through.
 Several test votes were taken during the five days the convention was in session, the first over the temporary chairmanship and the others over the contested delegates. In all Taft main tained a small majority. The first test stood: Taft, 55S; Roosevelt. 502. The necessary majority of the convention for choice was $40. The highest test vote for Taft was 6o5.
 Barring Roosevelt no Republican as- pirant for the presidency since Lincoln has elicited such enthusiasm from his supporters as James G. Blaine. He secured the nomination in 1884, only to be defeated at the polls. He refused to be considered as a candidate in 1888 but in 1892 tried for the nomination. But the crowds In the galleries could not vote, and the delegates on the floor when the storm of cheering had passed named Harrison for the presidency.
 A Memorable Convention.
 Since 1892 the Republican conven- lions have not been memorable for hard fought contests. Mckinley at St. Louis in 1896 overcame all opposition on the first ballot. He was renominat- ed without contest at the Philadel- phia convention in 1900, when Roose- welt was chosen to fill second place on the ticket. The latter's nomination in 1904 was q foregone conclusion, and the perfectly oiled machinery of the 1908 convention accomplished the nom inatton of Taft without jar.
 It will be recalled that Roosevelt, then the sponsor for Taft, had a bit <~ A~ arsth the machinery.