The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-24
HADLEY COULD HAVE HAD CONVENTION
IF ROOSEVELT HAD NOT MTERFERED
VIM. c. Husband, Delegate From Montana, and U. N.
D. Graduate, Tells Taft Side of Republican Ma
tional Convention How N. D. Men Voted.
VIM. G. Husband. a graduate of the

VIM. G.. Husband, a graduate of the
University of North Dakota law school
and a delegate from the state of Mon.
tana to the republican national con.
vention, was in Grand Forks thi:
morning enroute to Hensel. n. D., fol
a visit with relatives before returning
to his home at Harlowton, Mont.
MI. Husband with the seven Other
delegates from Montana were instruct.
ed for President Taft. and his version
of what was doing at the immense
gathering is the first from the Taf
side that has been directly obtained
in North Dakota.
Roosevelt tried to dictate too much
and the Taft delegates simply became
disguised with his politics and sar
down on him." said Mr.. Husband III
talking of the convention.
Wanted Compromise Candidate.
THE Taft men wanted a compro
mise candidate" he added, "bu,
Roosevelt said he was the choice Of
the people and was the logical com.
promise candidate and would not al.
low his delegates to talk compromise
candidates at all"
Who was the man the delegates
would have chosen as a dark horse?'
was asked.
Governor Hadley of Missouri could
have had the nomination almost
unanimously If Roosevelt had allowed
his name to be presented to the con-
Nention. When Hadley made his sec.
ond motion before the convention an
hours demonstration followed with
thousands yelling themselves hoarse
for a period of sixty minutes. Mis-.
souri, delegates started the demonstra.
ton when they picked up their banner
and started to march around the con-
vention hall shouting for Hadley. Sew
en- or eight other states joined in and
the hall was in a deafening uproar
The Roosevelt men became panic
stricken n saw something might
happen which was entirely unexpect-
ed. 1t is supposed that they induced
the Chicago woman who waved the
Roosevelt banner in the gallery and
sang songs with the band to do this to
stem the tide. Whether n not they
did, she at least was partially success
full and changed the tide Of what
might have meant the salvation or
destruction of the republican party.
Hughes and Root were the only other
two compromise candidates at all
talked of in the convention. LaFol-
lette had a very small following. The
delegates hardly seemed to think La
and outside of his instructed dele
gates he could not have polled very
many votes.
What would have been the result
at h convention had every man been
free to vote a. he pleasd?"
Taft would have been nominated
Just the same" Husband added. You
would be surprised to see what a small
following Roosevelt has among the
thinking element in the east. 1 must
admit that he has quite a following
In what the C~hicagoans term the
"rabble." But the business men and
the more conservative think Roose-
Welt a menace and would not support
him under any consideration. North
Dakota and the agricultural states arc
for Roosevelt at heart and against
Taft because Of his stand on reci-
procity. But take a manufacturing
region and they are strong for Taft.
Really ! think 1t would nave been
better to nominate a compromise cam
didate but Roosevelt himself would
not stand for 1t and what could we
do but sit down on his ambitions.
Close tn Roosevelt.
Senator Dixon of Montana was
Roosevelt's campaign manager and
despite the fact that we were instruct
ed for Taft we were close to Roosevelt
and his lieutenants at all times. The
colonel made IL number of mistakes
the last two days of the convention
that made his l~ieutenants sore at him.
He indirectly called Hadley. to account
Saturday when Hadley. who was on