The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-06-12

trouble in Kentucky. Most of it oc-
Cured in counties where federal office
holders were county chairmen. They
sat in Judgment he said, upon the
credentials and rights OF all delegates.
In Breathitt county, he said, the
delegates had proceeded under the
regular call. The county chairman
would not call the convention together,
so each put up chairman.
THE Roosevelt man won," he said.
The convention proceeded TO elect
delegates to the state convention.
When they appeared there they Were
confronted with a contest. The Taft
ing in the office of Taft man, but
the convention seated the Taft dele
gates.
Judge GRear's remarks covered not
only the state convention, but the pri-
maries and conventions throughout
the state. He declared conditions
throughout Kentucky were such that
few districts selected tlelegates in ac-
cordance with popular opinion.
In the state convention. presided
over by Senator w. o. Bradley. ne
declared the control by the Taft forces
had been procured by seating contest
ed delegations.
eve do not claim we were elected
said Judge O'Rear because there was
no opportunity given to elect US.
The total vote we claim was taken
from Col. Roosevelt in the First dis
trict was about 620." he said.
In the Second district, he said, the
Taft forces saw in advance they were
outnumbered in the Davies county
convention and hurried to the hall and
elected Taft delegations before anyone
else had chance to come In.
Judge O'Rear said he was opposed
to "bolting'' but that IL they had bolt
ed in the Kentucky districts, 1t would
have been of no avail, because the
conventions were being conducted by
the regular party organization.
Had these county chairmen been
long In ofice?" asked Mr.. Devine.
yves, I don't question their honesty
now" said Judge O'Rear. Il simply
question the frailty of human nature
Judge ORear had not completed his
argument when the allotted half hour
expired. The committee extended his
time and he offered some afndavits
Former Senator Dick, the Taft attor-
ney. objected against these. No OBJ
lection was made in the committee
however, and the affidavits. bearing or
the alleged fraud in the primaries ano
county conventions, were admitted.
Senator Scott of West Virginia, OBJ
iected to a statement Judge O'Real
had made to the effect that West Vir-
ginia voters had been imported to vote
for the Taft organization.
West Virginia mountaineers do not
sell their votes for fifty cents" de-
clared Scott.
What is their price," asked a mem.
Der of the committee.
They have no price" said Scott
and the committee laughed.
nSDnor donIaron that ~ thf
committee did not give fair consid-
GRAFTON to the Kentucky case, "ou
only choice will be to appeal to tht
national convention and its committed
on credentials"
TN how many counties were the
Roosevelt. delegates unseated?" asked
Committeeman Kellogg.
They were unseated In fourteen
and divided in five Others" said Judg,
O'Rear.
Mr.. Kellogg asked If the COMMITTEES
on credentials in the state convention
had seated any Roosevelt contestants
Yes, they seated more than on,
hundred Of Them said O'Rear
He continued that had the creden
tials committee seated the Roosevelt
delegates who we're entitled to seats
Roosevelt would have carried the con
Sention.
w. y. Cochran, one of the contested
Taft delegates at large declared tina
| II every Roosevelt contesting delega
ton had been seated in the state con
vention, the Taft forces still woul'
have had a majority.
They admit the convention wa
properly organized" said Cochran. "a
credentials committee. chosen from tn,
various districts, sat for 10 or 20 hour
and heard every contest that was of
! fered No one was excluded"
Charges against federal office hold
ers, said Mr.. Cochran, on the groun,