Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-22
Decision of the Members to
Let Convention Decide on
Its Findings Piecemeal
Enabled Body to Act.
ROOSEVELT MEN
FIGHTING HARD
Taft Supporters in Rehash.
ing Work Of the National
Committee, Approve Of
That Body's Findings.

Chicago, Convention Hall, June 21.-
Committeeman Birch Of Alabama,
moved in the credentials committee at
II o'clock that reports of the commits
tee action in the Alabama and Ari.
zona contests be submitted to the
convention. Opposition to piece
meal reports developed and the mo.
tion was temporarily withdrawn. John
s. Sullivan, Roosevelt committeeman
from Ohio, protested against reporting
TO the convention until all contests
had been decided.
Committeeman l.. P. Summers Of
Virginia, renewed the motion at 1l:l5
O'Clock but at the request OF w. IS.
Lauder of North Dakota, q delay OF
ten minutes was granted. Meanwhile
Roosevelt members of the committee
conferred with Col. Roosevelt by tele.
phone as to whether piece meal"
report from the credentials commit.
tee should be opposed.
The credentials committee voted at
1920 o'clock to submit to the conven.
tion it's report on the Alabama con.
tests. Roosevelt members led by
Heney and Halbert, made vigorous
attempt to delay this action. The
vote on the adoption sof the Summers
motion was 80 to 15.
First Fourteen for Taft.
After an all nights session the Gre
dentials committee of the republican
national convention had at 6 o'clock
this morning settled only fourteen Of
the seventy-two contests considered
vital by Gov Hadley and the Roose-
welt leaders In their appeal from the
decisions OF the national committee.
All Of them together with twenty
that the credentials committee took up
on it's own initiative, were settled for
President Taft.
The decisions were: Alabama, ninth
district, two delegates; Arizona, six
delegates at large; Arkansas, fifth
district, two delegates; California,
fourth district, two delegates; Florida,
six delegates at large and two each
from the first, second and third dis
tricts; Georgia, four delegates at
large; Indiana. four delegates at large
and two from the thirteenth district.
Other delegates, where contests
were not reopened, were declared
seated by majority of the committee.
California's two Taft delegates were
seated by the committee at 5:45
o'clock this morning after a striking
debate. A motion to seat the Roose-
welt delegates was defeated % to 16.
Personalities and political rancor were
practically absent. For an hour and q
half the committee members, worn
out by over twenty hours of work sat
and debated the right of California to
instruct for Roosevelt by state wide
majority the Taft delegates elected in
the fourth district.
Debate OF the California case FOL.
lowed the receipt Of what was termed
"an insulting letter" from the two
Roosevelt delegates, Charles 8.
Wheeler and Philip Bancroft, refusing
to appear and declining to recognize
that contest existed. The California
case was taken up at 4:20 a. m. l..
N. Mitchell of Pennsylvania, a mem
ber Of the committee presented the
letter from the California Roosevelt
delegates. It contained language which
members considered Objectionable and
the committee ordered it returned TO
the California delegates without
comment" A motion to seat the Taft
delegates brought request from
Roosevelt members for an opportunity
to discuss the case that had provoked
perhaps the greatest attack from the
Roosevelt forces upon the national
committee.
Coast Insult Hurts.
II believe II the two delegates from
California who were elected by state
majority of 77,00O are not seated"
said Mr. Halbert Of Minnesota, ut will
mean the death knell Of the national
committee, that attempts to thwart the
will of those 1900 voters"
o. D. Lanstrom Of Montana, de-
c1ared under such precedent the city
of New York by primary vote could
completely dominate the entire dele
cation from the state.
"The whole representation in con-
ventions," he said, lis to secure dele
gates representative of the wishes Of
the voters in the various districts.
Representative w. F. Mondell OF
Wyoming, declared he had intended to
vote for the two Roosevelt delegates
"out OF regard for the sentiment Vt
the majority Of the voters in Cali
fornia."
Il would so have voted" he added.
ST it had not been for the gratuitous