The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-05
HOW IT WAS DONE.
Chairman WOODBURY. of jackson Coun-
ty Committee Excited Over Action.

E. D. WOODBURY., chairman of the
Republican central committee of Jack
son county and an ardent Taft man,
is in Topeka today and he distributes
his wrath with high hand. Wood
burn not only critic1SeS the snap JuuS-
ment of the committee, but predicts
that the party will suffer at the polls.
It was claimed by the Roosevelt
committeeman that their chairman
had gone over the county and organ
lied the Taft forces so that the Roose-
Welt supporters could not, in the snort
space of time between now and the
convention, defeat the organization at
a primary election. The Roosevelt
committee proceed to elect the dele
gates to both state and congressional
conventions, claiming that a trap had
been laid for them and that they
would be unwise to take any chances
in walking into it. The Taft forces
at once offered as a substitute de-
tailed plan for a primary election to
be held six days later and prov1d1ng
for the opportunity for each elector
in the county to cast a ballot. This the
Roosevelt men Immediately voted
down and proceeded to name the dele
gates to both conventions. Jackson
county has had what is known as the
Crawford system in electing delegates
to the county convention for years and
the people have become accustomed TO
having primary election. They fully
voters it was keen disappointmen t
and it is predicted they will bitterly
resent the action taken by the COM
mittee in DISTINGUISHING them.
There is no doubt in my mind but
what Roosevelt could have carried
jackson county thirty days ago by
handsome majority said Mr.. Wood
burn, but a great many of the voters
had made up their minds that 1T was
unwise to support him and had an
To NJ
Taft within the last few days and
have no doubt but what if a primary
election had been held in Jackson cOun-
ty, Taft delegates would have been sent
to both state and congressional conven-
lions. At the meeting of our committee
the Roosevelt committeeman fully real
lied the situation and took no chances
on primary election Notwithstanding
the fact that they had all along advo-
Gated the primary. That they were not
given sufficient time between the meet
ing of the committee and congressional
convention to be held at Atchison on
the 18th of this month is their excuse
but claiming the county as they do by
a majority of four to one, this excuse
appears to be little ridiculous. 1t was
charged yesterday that I had gone over
the county and set the stakes against
them. This charge is untrue and 1 in
formed them at the time that it was
untrue and offered a motion which pro-
vided for an inexpensive and simple
method of electing the delegates to the
county convention by a primary. They
had eleven full days between the meet
ing of the committee and the Atchison
which gave them ample time
to get every voter to the polls.
1.-THE fact is that Roosevelt would
have lost Jackson county had it been
submitted to a vote of the people and
no one knew this better than the
Roosevelt committeeman themselves
and so they very unwisely, it seems to
me, took away from the people the
right to name their delegates and [
predict that the people will resent it
and that, sooner or later, it will react
to the detriments of those who took
part. in it and injure the cause which
they are advocating. A dangerous
precedent was established yesterday |
which may or may not be followed by
future committees. The truth or falls |
ity of the claim that jackson county
was Overwhelmingly for Roosevelt will
never be known and I very much re-
greet that the Roosevelt forces did not
see their way clear to submit their
case to a vote of the people.
Had the Taft followers pursued the
same methods in the state as the COM
mittee saw fit to initiate in jackson
county, a delegation favoring the re-
of President Taft would
have gone to the convention from
Jefferson AtchisOn, LeavenWorth and
Shawnee counties. This would have
insured two delegates from the First
conversational district for the presi- |
dent.
methods used by the Jackson coun- |
ty committee clearly show the insin- |
certify and hypocrisy of the alleged
of the Roosevelt people in
which they clamor for the voice of the
neople in the selection of delegates.
Eight of the IL members of the
committee were for Roosevelt On the |
first show of strength. From that time |
until the close of the meeting, they die |
tated the proceedings. 1t was on their |
own motions, backed by their strength |
nv, the committee, that denied the coun- |