El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-14

I have a majority on paper exactly 20
] votes over the combined opposition
J When the situation affecting the
/ possible winning of Taft delegates to
| the Roosevelt side was discussed. the
! Taft leaders insisted that even heroic
efforts to that end would be futile, in
I the face of the presidents strength on
paDer. They pointed out that from
their figures Roosevelt would have
only ass votes. that it would be neces-
sary to capture SO southern delegates
| TO get control Of the convention out Of
the hands of the presidents supporters
and that then it would be necessary to
get 46 delegates more, the number in
structed for La Toilette and Cummins,
I in order to nominate Col Roosevelt
Many of the Roosevelt adherents
concede the improbability of the nOmi-
nation OF former president Roosevelt
on the first ballot, but at the same
time say president Taft cannot muster
enough votes TO adopt the report Of the
committee on credentials. Here is the
point where they claim the Taft ship
will 90 on the rocks. TIE credentials
committee, it is admitted by many. viii
be similar to the national committee
Interest Centers in Root.
Principal interest today conferred IN
the coming Of senator Root, the work
Of the national committee in the con-
test hearings and q score Of impas-
stoned addresses by leaders on both
sides at various meetings of delegates.
today and much activity around the
headquarters Of senator CUmmins.
1t was reported that the Tart lead
ers had abandoned the idea Of asking
the convention to pass a resolution
compelling delegates to obey instruc-
tions until released by the candidates.
Many of the Tart people thought this
plan, which is said to have been sug-
gested by Powell Clayton, Of Arkansas,
would effectually bring their delegates
from the southern states in line.
Today, however, the Taft leaders in
several northern states objected to the
plan and insisted that Taft was the
second choice of several delegates lE-
structed for Roosevelt, who would be
willing to change their votes after the
first ballot. In this class are said 10
be 20 from Illinois, six from Ohio
eight from Pennsylvania and five from
Maryland
The Taft leaders insisted that their
candidate will be in as good a oslton
to make an open fight for votes on
the floor, as Roosevelt, providing there
is no choice on the first ballot
Some Contests Easy.
Of the contests confronting the COM
mittee when il convened today, those
from North Carolina, South Carolina
and Oklahoma took but little time. In
the remaining, North Carolina district,
the fourth, the contest involved local
issues and no question existed as TO
Col EOosevelts title TO the>fWo dele
In the first south Carolina district
the Taft forces claimed that the ROose-
welt men bolted, while the opposing
delegation claimed 10 have been regu-
Iarly and legally elected In the third
Oklahoma district the Roosevelt forces !
declare the Taft delegates were out
numbered and refused TO go to the hall
where the convention was called 20
meet, holding their convention else
where. The Taft delegates, on TIE 9TH
er hand, claimed they controlled and or
"a mia cd Ia q n
and that the Roosevelt wing then bolt
ed. In the Tennessee contests, embrac-
ing the first, second, ninth and 10th
districts, bitter local flgntS We're IN
VOlVed- The delegations from the
Memphis, or 10th district, were both
for Taft. or at least neither was I
first and second districts local political !
differences are said to have resulted |
in the organization Of separate conyen- /
tiOns.
Texas Involves Hard Fight.
The Texas cases involve probably the |
hardest fight the committee has. The /
Roosevelt delegations from that state !
are all champiOned by Cecil Lyon, ma /
kOOSevelts most ardent supporters Al /
the south. The Tart delegations repre-
sent. on the other hand, thu Organiza- /
ton perfected by H. i. McGregOrs or /
Houston, TO unseat Col. Lyon and end /
his power in the state
Rival state conventions and rival I
county conventions were held in Texas I
and their actions from the basis for i
the contests before the national COM /
mittee. The Tart forces claim to have /
proceeded regularly to hold district /
conventions, after the state committee,
under Col Lyons domination. had re-
fused to call such convention.
The Lyon Roosevelt forces. on the /
other hand, claim not only to have held /
the district conventions specified by
the call OF the Republican national !
convention, but to have observed also
the state primary law The Roosevelt
district delegates were chosen twice
II was claimed, first by the state con-
ventiOn and later by district conven-
uons IN their respective districts.
EDc Am