The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-16

that time be turned over to the custody of the police. Chief McWeeny declared that if any rough house. tactics were at tempted he would be prepared to throw 150 policemen in front of the stage within one minute
 He would be a brave man who under took to say tonight what day, an hour, a minute might bring forth. The fact is that there is situation in Chicago now unprecedented in American politics and no human being can tell what will be it's outcome. The hottest battles in former conventions of any party seem almost in- significant compared with that which is eliminating here.
 It is impossible to question the access sion of confidence on the part of the anti Taft forces. which dated from the arrival of Colonel Roosevelt
 Foundation Unknown
 Whether it had substantial founda- tion, no one can say. Colonel Roose- welt himself came on the scene smil- ing, waving his now famous hat to the cheering crowds and if his conf dence was feigned it bore all the ap- pcarance of reality.
 The Taft people welcomed him with a statement on the part of Campaign Director Mckinley, declaring that Roosevelt's pilgrimage to Chicago rep resented the Hast big bluff" of de- feated candidate. It had been expect cd that during the day the Taft bu reau would issue a broadside on the subject of alleged attempts to cor rupt the Taft delegates, especially in answer to the Roosevelt publication last night of the letter of the negro delegate, Banks of Mississippi, which purported to return to the Taft di- rector several hundred dollars" which, it implied, had been given him for expenses of delegates from Mississippi
 Nothing on this subject emanated from the Taft headquarters and 1t was stated there would be no statement about it.
 Has Come Too Soon
 Has Colonel Roosevelt helped his cause by coming to Chicago? To this question there were many answers. The Roosevelt adherents admitted never doubt that 1t has made his nomination a certainty. Nobody could honestly question the accession of en- thusiasm in his following which marked his arrival. But the Taft leaders pro fess to believe that he has come too soon; that in two days, which remain before the convention begins, the at mosphere will cool and the situation relax into one of plain politics" in which party discipline and ineXorable mathmematics will resume their wonted sway.
 "Enthusiasm is all right" said one of the Taft leaders, veteran of many heated conflicts, but never forget that a delegate is a delegate and it is dele gates that carry convictions and malke nomination"
 It was apparent in the early hours after MT. Roosevelt's arrival that his leaders had no very definite plans as to their next steps; that they had been waiting for him; that they felt they had plenty of time between now and the converting of the convention fin which to work out a detailed pro- gramme.
 Turning now to the general political situation here it has not greatly changed during the last A hours. It Is still a case of flatfooted claims on both sides, equally positive and quite incompatible. of more than enough for a nomination on the first ballot'' and on the outside, waiting grimly, the 36 LaFollette and the 10 Cummins men, almost equally opposed