The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1912-08-09
the TRUTH ABOUT.
THOSE DELEGATES
Roosevelt Contests Insngated
70 Deceive the Public

Ill But "a were ABANDONED
An Examination Of the Facts Shows
That the Tribunals Which Decided
Those Contests In Favor Of Mr.. Taft
Were Right In Every lnstanes-Ths
Remaining 1874 Contests Were Frivol-
Gus, and Their Prompt Abandonment
Reflects Upon the Commences and
Validity Of the Remainder.
Washington. July 29.-Here are the
facts in relation to the contested seats
In the Republican national convention.
1t Is q summary OF q detailed state
ment going carefully into all Of the
cases, a statement SO thorough that 1t
takes up $50 pages Of printed matter.
This statement is signed by Mr.. Victor
Rosewater. chairman of the former Re-
publican national committee: by Mr.. J
81. Devine OF Colorado, chairman Of the
committee on credentials of the Repub-
lican national convention. and by Mr..
Charles d. Hilles, chairman Of the
present Republican national committee.
The total number Of delegates sum.
moned to the convention under its call
was LOTS. with $40 necessary to a
choice. Mr.. Taft had SCI votes on the
hrst and only ballot and was declaEed
the nominee. There were instituted
against 23S of the delegates regularly
elected for Taft contests on behalf Of
Roosevelt These contests were avow-
edly i~nstigated not for the purpose OF
really securing seats In the convention.
mot for the purpose of adducing evil
0ence which would lead any respect.
able court to entertain the contests. but
for the purpose Of deceiving the public
into the belief that Mr.. Roosevelt had
more votes than he really had. as the
conventions and primaries were In
progress for the selection Of delegates.
This u not only q necessary inference
from the character of the contests, but
Il was boldly avowed by the chief edi.
tor Of the newspapers owned by MI.
4unsey. who has been Mr.. Roosevelt's
chief financial and newspaper sup
porter. The 238 contests were reduced
BY abandonment to seventy-four.
The very fact OF these 1874 frivolous
contests itself reflects upon the genu-
ineness and validity Of the remainder.
The seventy-four delegates include six
at large from Arizona. four at large
from Kentucky. four at large from In.
diana, six ct large from Michigan.
eight 1t large from Texas aud eight at
large from Washington. and also two
district delegates each from the Ninth
Alabama. the Fifth Arkansas. the
Thirteenth Indiana. the Seventh.
Eighth and Eleventh Kentucky. the
Third Oklahoma, the Second Tennes.
see and from each Of nine districts. the
First, Second. Fourth. Fifth. Seventh.
Eighth. Ninth. Tenth aud Fourteenth
Of Texas.
CONTESTED DELEGATES AT
4 LARGE.
Arizona.
In the Arizona convention there were
ninety-three votes. All the delegates
nix In number-were to be selected at
large. The counties were entitled to Sc
lect their delegates through their coun-
q committee or BY primary. In one
county. Maricopa. q majority Of the
committee decided to select its dele
rates and . minority to have . pri-
mary. In other counties there were
some contestA and the sttae commit
~. following the usage Of the national
committee. gave Q bearing 70 Ill con.
tostants In order 70 make up the tam
poraFy roll. There was . clear major.
" of the Taft delegates among the
uncoutoseed delegatea. The committee
made 20 the Temporary roll and then
there Wa I bolt. sixty.four remaining
d the hall and twenty-five withdraw
lng tborofrom. The case Of the Taft
majority was o clear that Il u dimcult
q undorstaud why : contest was made.
Indiana.
u Indiana the four Taft delegates at
larno were elected In . state couven.
don . which Marion county. In which
,I9o1nnapotssis situate. was entitled ia
~ votea. A primary vas held In In
dianapollA ct which Taft polled 6.O0o
and Roosevelt l.400 votes. This gave
Tn1t 100 delegates IN the state conven.
don from Marion county. and Il they
were properly seated the control Of the
eoovent1on By . large majority val
eoncods6 20 TAFT Attempt was made
- impoaeh the returns from Marion
eounty ~ charges Of fraud and repeat
1me. These charges 9 OF Z general
character, without specification except
- % one ward out Of dfteen wards
ana then the impeaching witness i'd
Dittod - could not claim fraud enough
g change the result In that ward The
natioual committee. upon which there
woro 0fteen ant-Taft men. rejected
~ Rocsevelt contestants and gave thu
Taft dolegates their seats BY ! unani
mouo vote. Senator Borah and Mr.
RHHE+r - AE ~