Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-19

had assured his leaders that they had
gone so far now there could be no re-
fractions and Hiram Johnson, the
fighting governor of California had
insisted that if they lost in the strug-
gle to purge" the temporary roll of
the convention and strike from it the
Taft delegates from California, Wash
ington, Arizona, Texas, Alabama,
Kentucky, they must organize their
own convention and nominate their
ticket. But prior to the assembling
of the convention today the bolt talk
was very feeble, and some of the pro-
gressive leaders even holding that
when the progressives put McGovern
in the field against Root and voted for
him they became morally bound as
party men, to abide by the result.
Because of this fact many of the
Roosevelt men insisted today that all
that was left for them to do was TO
get into the game today and try to
win out in the final count.
While the election OF Senator Root
is conceded to have been Taft vic
tory ard concededly strengthens the
conservative position as topresidential
nomination it is not by any means
thought to have settled the question
of Taft's ultimate success.
Taft's nomination was regarded
this morning as more probable than
| it was before yesterdays sessions and
Roosevelt's as less probable.
But the possibility Of the nominat-
ion of dark horse was greater than
it has been at any previous time dur
ing the convention.
1t takes $40 votes to nominate.
Root had 558.
The Taft leaders, talking privately,
admit that Taft cannot get the full
Root strength on the first ballot. How
far he will fall short is problemati-
cal.
Eight Maryland delegates who vot-
ed for Root are under Roosevelt in
structions and will vote for him on
the first ballot. Seven Illinois dele
gates are in the same position. There
are at least four or five scattered
delegates who voted for Root who
will vote for Roosevelt.
Assuming that there are twenty all
told of these Roosevelt votes which
were needed to give Root 558, Tatts
vote on the first ballot will fall two
short of the $40 necessary to noml-
nate.
On the other hand Hawaii cast six
votes against Root, but probably will
throw them to Taft on the nominat-
ion vote. This would give Taft 544,
or four more than needed.
One feature of the situation which
NAV have an important bearing on the
result is the growing feeling among
both Taft and Roosevelt delegates,
who still cling to their party loyalty,
that the fight for supremacy has gone
to such lengths that the nomination OF
either would result in an absolutely
fatal spirit of the party. While on the
surface of things, party loyalty seems
to be at a very low ebb, the fact re-
mains that aside from the warning
leaders the majority Of the delegates
most. of them-are at heart more
interested in party success than IN the
nomination of any particular candi-
date.
An interesting overnight develop
mont was the "dark horse" talk for
Elihu Root among the conservatives.
That they expect and hope that Col.
Roosevelt's influence on his delegates
will result in their boiling or attempt
ing the organization of second con-
vention on the Coliseum floor, was ad-
mitted by. the uncompromlslng TAFT
leaders Just before the convention re-
sumed it's sessions today.
Chicago, June 19.-At 1l:2s the OPP
ening invocation was delivered by
Rabbi Joseph Stoltz, of Chicago, the
delegates and spectators standing rev.
erently on their feet. The prayer was
long drawn out and many of the dele
gates semed restless before it was
concluded.