New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-29
National Chairman HiIIeS Ex-
plains in Detail Contests
Before the Chicago
Convention.
RAPS ROOSEVELT CLAIMS
States Protests Were Entered
Into for Purpose of Deceiving
the Public-Statement Ap-
proved by Taft Issued
from White House.

Washington. July 2S.-A statement.
approved by President Taft. defending
MS nomination by the national cOnvcn-
tion in Chicago was made public at the
White House to-day. 1t was prepared
by G. d. Hilles, formerly President
Taft's secretary. now chairman of the
Republican committee, and takes up
each contest before the Republican Ma
tional Committee and the credentials
committee of the convention. AS a
conclusion Mr.. Hilles asserts that each
contest was settled logically and wholly
on its merits.
The statement was submitted TO the
cabinet at a recent meeting. and re-
ceived the approval of the President
and his official family.
Mr.. Hilles takes up the 23S contests
instituted by the Roosevelt faction
against the Taft delegates. and pre-
SentS evidence in each case to show
that the Taft delegates were regularly
elected. The fact that many of the
contests were trumped up with little or
no evidence to support them is as
serted by Mr.. Hilles, who says in his
statement;
These contests were avowedIy insti-
gated. not for the purpose Of really
securing seats in the convention, not
for the purpose of adducing evidence
which would lead any respectable court
TO entertain the contests, but for the
purpose Of deeevine the public into the
belief that Mr.. Roosevelt had moro
votes than he really had, as the con-
vsnticns and primaries were in prog
ress for the selection Of delegates.
This is not only a necessary infer
"gcc from the character OF the con-
tests. but il was boldly avowed by the
chief editor OF the newspapers owned
p, Mr.. MuuScv. who has been Mr.
Gooscyolts chiof financial and news
paper supporter
The Us contests were reduced By
Abandonment. formal or in substance.
jo seventy -iour. The very fact of these
1Gl frivolous contests itself reflects
upon The Gcnuineness and validity Of
Tho remainder The seventy-four dele
.,atcy include six at large from Ari-
zo1a. fcdr at large from Kentucky. four
at large from Indiana. six at large from
Michigan. eight at large from Texas
and eight at large from Washington
and also two district delegates each
from the 9th Alabama, the 5th Arkan-
sas, thc 18th Indiana, the 7th Sth and
nth Kentucky the Sd Oklahoma, the
2d Tennessee, and from each of nine
districts. the 1st. %. 4th. 5th. 7th Sth,
9th, 10th and Nth of Texas"
The Texas Contests.
Taking up the Bcxas contests Mr..
Hilles says:
In Texas there were 2I9 counties, of
which four have no county government.
The 245 counties under the call of the
convention were allowed TO have some-
thing over 1909 delegates representing
them, who were given authority to cast
PAS votes. OF the 245 counties, there
were 90 counties i'm which the total
Republican vote was but 1000. in Ia
Of which there were no Republican vot-
ers. I'm 81 Of which there were less
than 10 each, and in none of which
was there any Republican organiza-
tion, and in none of which had a pri-
mary or convention been held. 1t was
shown that Colonel Cecil Lyon. to
whom had been assigned as referee
the disposition Of the patronage Of the
national Republican administration for
ten years in the state, had been in the
habit Of controlling the Republican
state Convention by securing from two
federal officehOlders in each of these -
counties a certificate granting a proxy
20 Colonel I,von. or "A friend of his, to
rapresent the county. as If regularly
conferred by a Republican county or
ganiZation.
THE national committee and the com
Continued on second page sifth eoiu"'n'