The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-08-14

Roosevelt Contests |nstIgated
to Deceive the Public.

AL But "a WERE ABANDONED
An Examination Of the Facts Shows
That the Tribunals Which Decided
4, Those Contests In Favor Of NJ. Taft
Wsrs Right In Every lnstanes-Ths
Remaining 1e4 Contests Were Frivol.
Gus, and Their Prompt Abandonment
Reflects Upon the Commences and
Validity Of the Remainder.
washington, July 29.-Here are the
1acts In relation to the contested seats
IN the Republican national convention.
It Il a summary Of q detailed state
msnt going carefully into all Of the
cases, a statement so thorough that 1t
takes up $50 pages Of printed matter.
This statement Is signed by Mr. Victor
ROsewater. chairman Of the former Re
publican national committee; by Mr.. J.
ii. Devine Of Colorado, chairman Of the
committee on credentials Of the Repub-
lican national convention, and by Mr..
Charles D. Hilles. chairman Of the
present Republican national committee.
The total number Of delegates sum.
moned to the convention under its call
was 1.O7S. with $40 necessary to a
choice. Mr.. Taft had 561 votes on the
nrst and only ballot and was declared
the nominee. There were instituted
against 23S Of the delegates regularly
elected for Taft contests on behalf of
Roosevelt. These contests were avow-
edly instigated not for the purpose of
really securing seats in the convention.
not for the purpose Of adducing evil
dence which would lead any respect
able court to entertain the contests. but
for the purpose Of deceiving the public
into the belief that Mr.. Roosevelt had
more votes than he really had. as the
conventions and primaries were in
progress for the selection of delegates.
This is not only a necessary inference
from the character of the contests, but
Il was boldly avowed by the chief edi.
tor Of the newspapers owned by Mr..
Munsey. who has been Mr.. Roosevelt's
chief financial and newspaper sup
porter. The 238 contests were reduced
by abandonment to se~venty-four.
The very fact Of these 1914 frivolous
contests itself reflects upon the genu-
ineness and validity Of the remainder.
The seventy-four delegates include six
ut large from Arizona. four at large
from Kentucky, four at large from In.
diana, six at large from Michigan.
eight at large from Texas and eight at
large from Washington. and also two
district delegates each from the Ninth
Alabama, the Fifth Arkansas, the
Thirteenth Indiana. the Seventh.
Eighth and Eleventh Kentucky, the
Third Oklahoma, the Second Tennes.
zee and from each of nine districts. the
First, Second. Fourth. Fifth, Seventh,
Eighth. Ninth, Tenth and Fourteenth
Of Texas.
CONTESTED DELEGATES At
LARGE.
Arizona,
In the Arizona convention there were
alnety-three votes. All the delegates
six In number-were to be selected at
large. The counties were entitled to Sc
1sct their delegates through their coun.
y committee or by primary. In one
county. Aaricopa, a majority of the
A0Nn~}<<n> N>oldnI - .nloo< a.. An1o
gatss and a minority to have a pri-
mary. In other counties there were
seme contests, and the sttae commit.
tie, following the usage Of the national
committee. gave 4 hearing to all con
tostants In order to make up the TEN
porary roll. There was a clear major
lty Of the Taft delegates among the
uncontested delegates. The committee
made up the temporary roll and Their
there was a bolt, sixty-four remaining
in the hall and twenty-five withdraw.
ing therefrom. The case Of the Taft
majority was so clear that it Is Difficult,
to understand why a contest was made
Indiana.
Ia AOAnAN SAS AOuA AAAS a.
large were elected in a state conven
ton to which Marion county, in which
indianapolis Is situate. was entitled t.
12S votes. A primary was held in In
d1anapolis. at which Taft polled 600
and Roosevelt 1,4O0 votes. This CAV
Taft 106 delegates In the state conven
ton from Marion county, and II the,
were properly seated the control Of tn
convention by a large majority wa
conceded to Taft Attempt was mad
to impeach the returns from Mariol
county by charges Of fraud and repea,
ing. These charges were Of a geners
character, without specification excel
n to n ward out Of fifteen ward.
and then the %impeaching witness al
mitted he could not claim fraud enoug
T. change the result In that ward. Th
national committee. upon which ther
were fifteen auti-Taft men, rejecte
the Roosevelt contestants and gave tt
Taft delegates their seats by a unan
nous vote. Senator Borah and AZ