Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-07
CLAIMS AND COUNTER CLAIMS. Roosevelt and Taft Leaders Issue
 Statements.

Chicago, June 6-Taft and Roosevelt members of the republican natifnal committee hurried to downtown hotel headquarters at the conclusion of the first formal meeting of the committee this afternoon and tonight went into conference with campaign managers and advisers to decide plans for the beginning of contest hearings before the committee tomorrow morning.
 Questions of politics to be pursued at the hearings and also of the pos sible exact strength of the Roosevelt and Taft men on the committee were debated until late hour while the ad- vice of leaders in Washington, New York and other cities was obtained by telegraph and telephone.
 Taft leaders declare that the single recorded vote taken in today's com mittee meeting that on admission of press reporters disclosed the lineup between Taft and Roosevelt adherents.
 The Roosevelt managers, however, insisted that the vote was without significance or value in attempting to measure the relative strength of the opposing camps.
 The Taft managers said that a can vass of all contests showed that in a majority of cases to be brought be- ARA V AA4t NOAlAllllLAIG lil1 IAOOSON NC1b NOA~ tests were without merit and there fore President Taft would be assured of at least two-thirds of the contested states in the convention.
 In one of two statements issued to- night by Congressman William B. Me Kinley, head of the Taft forces the following appears:
 Of fifty-three states and territories and districts represented in the re- publican national convention this year, President Taft has the entire delega- tiOns or a majority from twenty states in the north and west: ten from the south and five from the District of Columbia and territories or a total of S5. Mr. Roosevelt has the delegations, or the majority of them from 14 states in the north and west and two from the south, or a total of Is. Senator Robert M. La Follettee has two, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
 'FurthermOre, President Taft has representation on the delegations from seven of the states which MT. Roose- welt has carried in this contest in creasing the number of political units represented in his total of delegates to 42 out of 53 in the convention.
 Tn the face of this analysis of the delegations by states as they have been elected to the Chicago convention the utter absurdity of the claim of Mir Roosevelt and his managers that they control the coming convention is ap- parent They will have in fact. all the difficulty possible in managing the so- called Roosevelt sure" delegates whc already realize that they are being led into a ditch if not into an actual bolt by a lost cause"
 United States Senator Dixon when told of the committee action in voting for sessions open to the press, stated that the decision was a victory in the committee for Colonel Roosevelt. In this connection he said:
 This is the first time we ever have had any publicity of these matters al all, and it is the result of the demand made by the friends of Colonel Roose- welt.
 we wanted to make our fight in the open. We asked for the seating o1 no man, who, under every rule of jus tice, is not entitled to a seat. We were and are willing for the whole world to know our position and the facts up on which we base our claims. We were willing to vote in the open anC have our vote recorded in the open l cannot understand how any man wishing only to seat men who justlN are entitled to a seat, should object tC everyone's knowing how he votes. Beyond question we have the legi. innate votes to nominate Roosevelt by safe majority We want the pub. lie to know all the facts"