The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-15
FIGHT Grows BITTER.
NO RECONCILIATION OF TAFT
AND ROOSEVELT FORCES.
Tart Men Control Committee and All
Contests Decided i'm Taft's Favor
Opposing Leaders DenOunce Each
Other i'm Bitter Tcrms-Iiar. Thief.
Traitor, Briber OH the Tongues of
AL

Taft and Roosevelt leaders in tho
Repupllcan party, borne on rising
tide of charges of bribery, theft and
other accusations, tonight threatened
to precipitate decisive DEVELOPMENTS
before the opening of the national
convention next Tuesday. The charges
of corruption We're made in an open
statement given to the press tonight
by Director Mckinley of the Taft bu-
reau which directly accuses the
Roosevelt managers of an effort to
capture the convention by force.
Prominent men on both sides to-
night admitted the situation had been
so acute that almost anything might
happen in the next few days.
Among possibilities discussed in
conference room, hotel corridors and
party headquarters were two that con-
tinued to come out again and again
The first Of these was the possibil-
ity Of a bolt by the Roosevelt forces
and the organization Of a progress
sive" party if President Taft is nomi-
mated. The bolt talk was ever present
during the day and once in a meeting
Of Roosevelt leaders rose to a point
where VIM. Flynn Of Pittsburg, who
was presiding, refused to let it go
| further.
The second possibility and this
seemed to hold the centre of the
stage tonight, was that of a compro-
mise on third candidate A number
OF the leaders declared that now it
was positively beyond question to ex-
pect either Taft or Roosevelt people
to abide by the nomination of the
other candidate.
The situation was crystalized to a
great degree by the action of the
national committee in the contest
hearings, particularly the California
case. during the day. Roosevelt men
insisted that they could expect moth
ing for their candidate at the hands of
the Taft majority in the national
committee and criticised the work Of
that body with increasing bitterness.
| The question of whether or not
Col. Roosevelt would come to Chicago
and what effect his coming would
have upon the tense situation came up
at almost every turn. Nearly all
agreed that the arrival of Col. Roose-
welt would bring the situation to an
immediate focus but the outcome Of
such an event was disputed.
| Late tonight. after various confer
ences, the Roosevelt leaders an
nOunced that the mass meeting set for
Friday afternoon had been postponed
to Monday night. No reason was
given for this change in the date of
holding the Roosevelt demonstration.
There was considerable speculation as
to just why the date had been chang
ed to the night before the formal
opening Of the convention.
| The States that loOmed large in the
calculations 6f the Roosevelt lead
ers, in case Of bolt, were California.
Oregon. Kansas, Nebraska, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, West Virginia,
South Dakota. Minnesota Wiscon sin
and North Dakota. Several other
| States were named also but the form
er presidents campaign chiefs
seemed to get greatest satisfaction out
Of their survey Of those listed.
The third candidate talk included
Cummins and La Toilette and then
went on to the much debated dark
horse" possibility. A dozen names
We're mentioned in the latter connec-
| ton but there is no unanimity of
opinion.
Early in the evening Director Nc
| Kinley issued a lengthy statement
which. after claiming that Taft would
be nominated on the first ballot charg-
| ed that the Roosevelt forces were plan
ming more desperate measures to
prevent the inevitable"
The effort to corrupt Taft dele
gates to the convention" said the
| statement has been under way for
several weeks. 1t is common knOwl-
edge that seven weeks ago money was
| sent To two Taft instructed delegates
in = certain Southern state by tel
| cgraph by well known Roosevelt
| leader now in Chicago.
| within the last week two men
state have braZcnly approached Taft
delegates with offers of money in re
turn for votes for Roosevelt. other