The Sentinel=record., 1912-08-04
NATIONAL COMMITTEE HEARS PROOF ON THREE CONTESTS
 FROM SOUTHERN STATES.
TAXES NO DEFINITE ACTION
Senator Dixon Predicts There VIII Be 1,1oo Delegates in the Con ventlon--Roosevelt on His
 Way to Chicago.

Chicago, Aug. 3.-The national pro- gressiye party emerged from it's swaddling clothes and got down to real political work today. The pro- visional national committee of the new party began framing the tempo rary roll for the convention that will meet Monday.
 Despite certain diffidence and in- experience, which made progress slow the committee succeeded in set- ting the question of the representa- ton of various territories and outly- ing possessions, and heard arguments of some contesting delegations.
 Many of the men who worked to shape the new political party today were far from experienced politicians and they approached their duties with sort of timidity. There were some l thrty-fiye of them representing va rious states. They gathered in a small room in the Spares hotel and went to their labor in atmosphere | thick with cigar smuKe.
 Senator Dixon of Montana presid- ed When he called the meeting to order shortly after noon, he made . rather lengthy speech outlining the purpose of the gathering. | He reviewed work done by the Roosevelt forces after the republican convention and up to the time the call was issued for the progressive convention here.
 This call was signed on July S." l he said T doubt if in the history of the Anglo-Saxon race there has ever been such development such an evolution politically among ninety million people as you have witnessed during the past twenty mine days.
 During that time forty seven of the forty eight states, through their representatives in mass meetings, have come together and a national convention has developed.
 He said the call limited each state to representation in the convention equal to the number of senators and representatives 1t elected
 "As 1t stands" he continued, more than two-thirds of the states in the enthusiasm of the local situations. have sent delegations here, double and treble ad quadruple, and in the case of Connecticut, seven times the number of delegates demanded in the call"
 senator Dixon then reviewed the work of the progressives in various states.
 "Gentlemen," he said. this is positive demonstration, and when 1,1O0 met meet Monday in the Colis- cum and the story goes to the coun- try that a new nationw wide moye- ment in American politics has become an actual reality, you are going to, see it demonstrated that this is naT & 'a9ss'Yr fn fffg, Pssl,' 2 r Senator Dixon Said he spent week in Washington recently.
 Positively it was like an old time country funeral" he said. 1T vii! say to you that the atmosphere un- der the dome of the capitol. as com pared to an old time funeral would be like af Irish wake iii com 1aTisJIi. don't quite understand what has happened. 1 think the atmosphere at the capitol is the worst of any place in the Union, but they are beginning to hear from home"
 When Senator Dixon concluded va rfous members of the committee took the floor to explain situations in their home states. Then the committee voted to allow Alaska. Hawaii and the District of Columbia representa- tion in the convention, but to with hold from the delegates from these places the right to vote.
 The first contest taken up was that in the Alabama delegation. Twelve negroes, led by Dr. Joseph T. Thom- as. contested the delegations elected by the progressive convention at Bir- mingham from the fourth, sixth and ninth districts of the state. Oscar R. l Hundley, member of the national com- mittee, appeared for the regular del- egates, and Thomas for the negroes. It appeared that some thirty-one ne- | groes who attended the convention elected the twelve contestants after the negular convention had named its delegates.
 The committee did not vote on the Alabama cases when the arguments were concluded. But took up the Florida contests Six negroes and one white man appeared as the con testing delegation. They opposed six white men chosen by eonven-
 ton at Ocala by H. l.. Anderson.
 member of the national committee. c. H. Aston, a negro. who appeared
 for the contestants, said the negroes | ---------------