Morris tribune., 1912-06-28

Chicago, June 23.-The split has
come. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
withheld his name from the fifteenth
Republican national convention. He di-
rected his delegates to remain in the
convention. but not vote. He was in
dorsed by his followers to lead a third
party.
It was a bolt, yet not bolt. Claim
ing the convention roll had not been
purged Of alleged illegally seated Taft
delegates, the colonel would have moth
ing to do with it.
President Taft was renominated,
with Vice President Sherman.
Roosevelt's action in tossing his hat
into the ring" against his former
friend. the president, made the pri-
mary campaign remarkable. His with
drawRl Of his delegates from voting,
when his last hope was gone, and his
announcement Of leading a third party
OF progressiveS was still more remark
able In the annals Of Republican con-
venhons.
Nothing Like IL Before.
Nothing like this had ever happened
since the time Fremont was chosen for
president in the first convention Of the
Republican party, in 1856, in Philadel-
phia. After years Of easy going sue
cess, broken by the Cleveland terms,
the G. o. P. now faces the critical Pc
Ei0d in its history. What will Roose-
velt's progressive bolt amount to?
What will the Democrats now do at
Baltimore? These are now the Ques-
lions of the hour.
The Taft forces controlled the con-
vention from the start through favor
able decisions by the national commit
tee and later by the credentials COM
mittee. At no time did the Roosevelt
forces muster a majority Of the 1918
delegates
The Rooseveltians shouted "Steam
roller" throughout.
The presidents forces shouted little,
but they elected their man. Their ma
chine worked smoothly.
The convention was not uninterest-
ing. Far from it. Everybody looked
for the bolt, the stampede, the strong
arm work at any moment. Roosevelt
was in the limelight until the last day.
All the "hurrah" settled around him.
It was a fight to beat him more than
to nominate Taft.
Taft Controlled All Through.
Several test votes were taken during
the FIVE days the convention was in
session, the first over the temporary
craftsmanship and the others over the
tanned small majority. The first test
stood: Taft, 559; Roosevelt, 5O2 The
necessary majority Of the convention
for choice was $40 The highest test
vote for Taft was 6O5.
Barring Roosevelt no Republican as
pirant for the presidency since Lincoln
has elected such enthusiasm from his
supporters as James G. Blaine. he
secured the nomination in 1884. only
% be defeated at the polls. He refused
20 be considered as q candidate in 1885,
but in 1892 tried for the nomination.
But the crowds in the galleries could
not vote, and the delegates on the door
when the storm OF cheering had passed
named Harrison for the presidency.
Since 1892 the Republican conven-
lions have not been memorable for
hard fought contests. Mckinley at St.
Louis In 1895 overcame all opposition
ON the first ballot. He was RenOminat-
cd without contest at the PhiladeI-
phia convention in 1900. when RooSe-
welt was chosen to oil second place ON
the ticket. The Iatter's nomination in
1904 was fOregone conclusion, and
the perfectly oiled machinery Of the
1908 convention accomplished the NOM
dnation Of Taft without a jar.
It will be recalled that Roosevelt,
rs then the sponsor for Taft, haA q De
to DO with the machinery,