The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-06-18
TAFT MASTER OF CONVENTION
CONTESTS IN COMMITTEE CLOSE
President Makes His
Claim Good to
Lead.

CHICAGO, Illinois, june 1e.-with
the contests before the Republican Ma
tional committee practically closed
President Taft finds himself in practi-
cal control of the national convention.
at least SO far as the temporary roll is
concerned. He has forty-two delegates
more than majority, taking his claims
made during the fight in New Jersey,
that he would ''have a majority in the
convention as the basis on which to
figure. He has won six more delegates
during the contests than he figured up
on, reducing Roosevelt's figures by that
number and adding it to his own.
The last day of the fighting gave him
sixty-two to Roosevelt's six, and total
of 235 to Roosevelt's nineteen. He got
the eight delegates at large as well as
those from nine of the fifteen congress
SIGNAL districts in Texas No rollcall
was taken in many cases, and several
times the vote of the committee was
unanimous.
Tho arrival of MI. Roosevelt in Chi
cago added greatly to the already in
tense bitterness of the situation.
Shortly after his arrival the Colonel
made an address from the balcony Of
his hotel, during the course of which
he declared that the eight has now
narrowed down to naked struggle
between honest men and thieves'' He
was vociferously applauded in his
denunciation of the methods adopted by
the committee. AS he was speaking q
huge delegation from California passed
through the streets before the place,
bearing banners upon which were In
scribed, California refuses to try her
title to property before the thief who
stole it, The result was the most
violent demonstration of the day. The
streets were blocked and traffic i'm
possible during the better part of an
hour.
Efforts made by friends of the Col
onel to learn whether he intends to ap-
pear before the convention failed, He
refused to commit himself, declining
to say whether he would speak then
! or not. He, however, made the an
nouncement that he would speak at a
monster massmeeting planned in the
Auditorium for Monday night. Other
prominent speakers will also he there
and it is expected that one of the great
est crowds ever gathered in this city
will be on hand when the doors are
opened.
One of the most sensational features
of the days proceedings was precipi-
tated by the denunciation of James
Kennedy, national committeeman from
Fargo, North Dakota, by Francis j.
Heney, the graft prosecutor of San
Francisco. Kennedy made statement
regarding one of the contested delegates
from Texas to which Heney took ex-
ception, and when the committeeman
replied Heney called him liar. The
incident came near ending in fist
fight.
Miles Poindexter, congressman from
Spokane Washington, also started
sensation at the committee meeting
which threatened for time to disrupt
proceedings. The question of the dis
position of the Washington delegation
came up and the congressman, raising
himself from his seat declared in solemn
tones that 1.-THE whole nation shall be
the Judge of the cause of the ousted
Roosevelt delegation from Washington,
stolen here.'
Naturally the arrival of Mr.. Roose-
welt on the scene of action was the big
gest event of the day. Mr.. Mckinley,
MIR. Taft's manager, declared that his
coming to Chicago, is the last bluff of
a defeated candidate"
Welcomed by enormous crowds that
made wild demonstration over his
coming, Colonel Roosevelt arrived in
Chicago at 1857 O'Clock yesterday af-
ternoon. The crowds damned the sta
ton and the streets through which he
passed.
He jumped into an auto and dashed
to the Roosevelt headquarters and at
once took full charge of the situation.
The California delegation caucused
and passed resolution declaring that
If necessary 1t will follow Governor
johnson of California in bolt.
Colonel Harry S. New, chairman of
the subcommittee on convention ar
rangements, found today that bogus
convention tickets have been issued
and sold. The discovery caused a SEN
sation.
En- route here from oyster Bay, Col
onel Roosevelt made statement for
publication, saying that he is coming
to Chicago because of the concerted
attempt to rob the people,
Nothing yet has been done on the
Taft problem.