The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-22

! attacking the work of the committee
! were -"wflful liars and gutter work
| ers'' were made by Chairman Devine.
Judge Robert E. Morrison and other
| Taft members at the opening of today :
| session
The Roosevelt statement was cfrcu-
| lated last night by R. R. McCormick
| and signed by Is men.
| 1t charges there had been coalition
] ebtween national committeeman anu
/ contested delegates and the reports
| from the committee were prepared in
| advance in line with a definite under
| standing. ANY man who charges thai
| the Arizona report was prepared in ad-
| vance, declared Robt. E. Morrison OF
| Arizona, lis a wilful liar. I wrote that
report myself after the case had been
| decided
There was published this morning.
| said Chairman Devine, "a statement, as
dastardly piece of Justification as was
ever published or uttered. No man with
any regard for the truth would sign or
authorize such a statement.
Declares 1t an Insult.
TT is an insult to the majority of
the members of this committee. Those
who signed it lose sight of the fact that
the majority members of this commit
tee are as good men as honorable men
and stand as high or higher in the
business and social affairs of their
cities as the men who signed this.
THE only ruffianly acts, the only
daStardly gutter work in this commit
tee emanated from the other side the
minority membership of the commit
tee,'' continued Devine.
ANY time a man makes such a
charge he shouted, 81 declare he is
a wilfu1. deliberate liar. 1 now de-
mand of Mr.. Mccormick where his
proof is that the reports were pre-
pared in advance"
81 did not come in here to have my
acts put under question" said Nc
Cormick rising.
mo man can make such charges
against me-" declared Devine, with
out having to answer to me for II.
1 don't care whether he is foot high
Roosevelt members demanded that
Mr.. Devine retire to the chair. In
stead, however, he turned over the
gavel to Mr.. Lanstrum of Montana
and stepped down into the midst OF
the committee members.
Could Not Start Fight.
Mr.. ST. Clair of Idaho said he
thought much of the statement true.
do you believe that the report of
the Arizona case was SEepared in ad-
vance?" demanded Judge Morrison,
walking up to him.
Eyes, 1 do he said.
''Then l say you are liar, salo
Morrison. There was rush OF com
neither Mr.. ST. Clair nor Judge Nor
rison showed any disposition toward
a physical encounter.
Devine demanded a subcommittee
of the majority prepare a statement
that would show the falsity of the
charges made by the Roosevelt mem
bers.
Jesse A Tollerton of Missouri said
the Mccormick report had been signed
for him by his proxy yesterday but
that he endorsed much of it's contents,
although he took exceptions to some
of it.
None of US that signed the state
ment are going back on it, said H. I.
Halbert, of Minnesota, but none of us
who signed it has anything but the
highest respect for the other members
of the committee"
Mccormick admitted he had written
the report of the Roosevelt members.
He said most of the Illinois delegation
had seen it, and that most of the
Roosevelt men on the credentials COM |
mittee had signed it.
A proposal of a subcommittee of five |
Taft members to prepare an answer on
behalf of the 35 members of the COM i
mittee attacked was made.
Tit for Tat.
Blum, of Georgia, charged that the |
Roosevelt men had stood side by side'' |
on all questions, without regard to the |
arguments and could not consistently |
charge the other members with partial |
ity Representative Mondell, of Wyom-
ing declared that not any member /
who signed this statement voted for |
any one but a Roosevelt man"
Some Roosevelt members replied they !
had voted for the Taft delegates from
Georgia. "a gentleman signed this who
bolted before the rules were passed"
said Mondell, land Who does not know
any of the evidence that was present.
ed"
.'Who is it?'' asked several members
f'Heney, of California" answered
Monde11. He has not been here; he
does not know any of the evidence that
was offered