New-York tribune., 1912-03-11
FIND ROOSEVELT" ERRORS
County Committee Learns of
Irregularities in Petitions.
WILL MAKE NO OBJECTION
MIR. Koenig Says He Feels That
It Is Needless to Protest
Against Small Defects.

Although scores OF irregularities in the
signatures on the Roosevelt petitions were
found yesterday by the examiners for the
Republican County Committee, 1t was an
nounced at Republican headquarters that
no objection nor obstacle would be placed
in the way Of having Mr.. Roosevelt's name
go on the primary ballot
with all the talk about the party ma
chlnery being arrayed against the Roose-
velt supporters, the petitions putting them
before the voters on primary day will give
the Republican voters Of New York County
their chance to participate In a Presiden-
tial preferential primary" said Samuel s.
Koenig president of the Republican County
Committee, land as the petitions bear the
names OF something less than 10 per cent
of the number OF enrolled Republican vot-
ers, / feel that II is needless to protest
against the many small irregularities our
examiners found"
At the offices of the Board OF Elections
and at the Office Of the Republican County
Committee examiners and checkers went
over the Roosevelt petitions yesterday
and found names on every petition which
could be properly challenged. Names or
men who are not enrolled at all were
found on some petitions. In the lith
Congress District names Of men who are
enrolled as members OF the Independence
League were on the Roosevelt petitions
In the 2lst Congress District petitions
were found the names Of several men VINO
are enrolled as voters in the 18th Con-
gress District.
Mr. Koenig believes that many OF the
Irregularities are due TO the over eager
ness OF the notarIes who got the names on
the petitions at from % to 90 cents a
name. Reports drifted into headquarters
during the afternoon yesterday Of notaries
who told voters mat the work was under
the auspices Of the Republican County
Committee, and OF others who asserted
that the regular organization district lead
er was behind the movement in that dis
trict In other cases the notaries frankly
confessed that they were doing the work
solely FOR the fee they received for each
name and begged for signatures purely on
that ground.
From the records Of the county commit
tee It was pointed out that the district
heads OF the opposition TO the regular or
ganlzations-the men whose names will now
go before the voters on primary day under
the Roosevelt emblem-are almost without
exception men who have been trying TO
oust the present district leaders at prevl-
GUS primaries. and with uniform failure.
In the lst Assembly District George
Hirsch is running against William G. Rose.
the district leader. Hirsch has opposed
Rose three times before. Twice he was
beaten at the primaries and the other tlme
he withdrew just before the primary cleo
tion Practically the same situation obtains
with the Roosevelt candidates in the 4th
Assembly District and the 18th Assembly
District. In both OF these districts the men
who are running on the Roosevelt ticket
arc men who have tried in previous years
to gain the district leadership, and have
failed In the S3d Assembly District, in The
Bronx, Edward II. Healy, who was beaten
last year and ousted from his district lead
ership by Alfred Slmonds, is trying to
come back" under the Roosevelt emblem.
The 18th Assembly District fight although
three -cornered, has no bearing on the
Roosevelt lineup. because all three wings
OF the organization are for Taft, and in
tho 18th Congress District, where A. G.
Phillips IL the Roosevelt candidate for state
against Abraham Gruber
there are just $50 signatures on the peu-
fions out OF II total Republican vote of ap-
prOximately 5000.
Charles H. Duell, chairman OF the Roose-
Welt City Committee, in Il statement issued
from his headquarters yesterday criticised
Samuel S. Koenig's speech Of Saturday
night. where the Republican county presi-
dent told the Republicans OF the 33d Assem-
bly District 10 stick TO the regular ticket.
1T shows the purpose OF the New York
County Republican organization 10 endeaYor
TO throttle public sentiment" Mr. Duell de-
clared. but there Will be thousands of the
supporters Of Theodore Roosevelt stirred TO
action"
Mr. Duell also paid his respects to Her
bert Parsons, who, he said, had apparently
forgotten some Of those high political ideals
that he professed with such enthusiasm
when Theodore Roosevelt made him a po-
litical factor in this county"
The names on the Roosevelt petitions, the
Roosevelt chairman declared. were the most
representative lists Of Republicans ever
gathered in this city"
The Roosevelt chairman sent teleTram
Yesterday TO Governor GoldsborOugh or
Maryland. congratulating him on having
taken a stand In favor OF the Presidential
preferential primary. Governor Goldsbor-
ough has announced that he fayors the re-
nomination Of President Taft
An extra clerical force OF forty men was
busy yesterday at the Board of Elections
preparing the copy OF the primary ballots
for the printers. The work will probably
keep them busy until Wednesday. About
twenty independent petitions were filed on
Saturday night. and no one is able to tell
now how long the ballots will be In the
different districts.