The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-18
R0SEWATER REFUSES MOTION TO AMEND
 TEMPORARY ROLL OF CONVENTION DRAWING
 FIRST BLOOD FROM ROOSEVELT FORCES


 that Hadleys motion was out of or der until a proper organization of the convention had been effected.
 Rosewater declared that the motion appeared to the chair to be we'll talk en but said that he was willing that each, side should have 20 minutes in which to debate the question. Gov ernor Hadley then called Governor Fort, of New Jersey and Deneen of Illinois to- the platform and at the same time Representative Serene Payne of, New York struggled up to the platform after considerable effort. taking his place beside Jim Watson in the ranks of the committees par liamentary sharks. Both sides had been expecting this parliamentary question and had all of their data typewritten ready for use.
 Governor Hadley started the debate for the Roosevelt forces. "I have presented for the consider ation of the chairman of the commit tee and this convention . motion tO amend the temporary roll which has been placed before the convention. The chair has stated that, in his opin- ion, a point of order is we'll taken but in the same spirit of that illustri- ous leader, William Mckinley, has adopted the fair plan of permitting debate.
 .'Our chairman has asked that a brief statement be made by those sup- porting and opposing 1t. offer this to your determination in the last an- alysis
 'I question if the national commit tee has the absolute power to control the list of delegates.
 "Then have we established within a political organization political oli- garchy, with powers to make can- didates. make and pass laws?
 2 If it is in the power of 27 mon to say whet shall be considered . mas jority of the convention then we have ceased to have representative govern ment iu our party. ]" ss
 This; declaration was f6s,afy eheered.
 we know but one sDverlftnsnt In this country and that ais Government by political parties and if control of the parties <. can be maintained by those who make up the temporary roll,y then we have established a poli- tica1 ohgarchy. a1
 Tt is the question now whether the delegates shall or shall not pass up- on their own qualifications where their right to sit is protested. Tn 1864, a similar situation arose.. It was held that for 40 years the nation al committee had power to chose the temporary chairman but the, conven- ton then decided that the convention was the servant and not the master of the Republican party or of tho convention.
 This question must in it's final an- alysis be decided either that the com mittee has the power not subject to change later or that the convention may later change it.''
 Hadley. continued citing precedents to support his contention, reading from a parliamentary point raised in 1864.
 "so I offer to you. today, the prece- dent of 1884 that nominated for the second time Abraham Lincoln.
 q offer the statement of Senator Hoar that the motion to amend the temporary roll is in order.
 ''But this question is more ques- tion of principle than of precedent. It is said that fraudulent names are on this roll.
 You cannot settle a question of fundamental honesty by disregardine it.
 You cannot settle questions af- fecting the people by raising points of order but I say that just so certain as you declihe to answer my ques- tion the people will decide, that you didn't want to settle this question on the facts alone. You must either purge your rolls or admit that you want to confer a fraudulent nomina- tion."
 Former Governor Fort, of New Jer- sey. followed Governor Hadley for the Roosevelt forces.
 There has never come before na- tion of this wonderful party of ours so vitala question:" he said. 'In 1880, the question arose as to whether it was in the power of a convention to determine questions of the roll before a vote could be taken Senator Hoar of Massachusetts, held that, in the ab- sence of anti-rule, the decision of any question rested with the chair but subject to the rule of the conven- ton.
 .'The convention, not the chair must determine whether the roll presented is such as this convention can &C., cept.'.
 Fort then referred to numerous com mittee decisions which he said gave the delegates the right to say who shall seat and said:
 Shall we have in this convention such a scene as has been going on before the national compittee?'
 Here the speaker was drowned out with chorus of "Nos" from the Roosevelt men and a similar shout of Yes from the Taft men.
 ''You don't want anyone to say that you would give the President of the United States a fraudulent nomina- tion?''
 Forts time being up. Watson then yielded 10 minutes of his time to Con- gressman Serene E.. Payne, of New was both cheered and jeered, the delegation demanding.
 Continued on Page 2.i