The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-02
GETTING INTO SHAPE.

SuaIrUAn new OF In0 RcDuDucan ne
tional Committee that the usual routin
in preparing for the holding of the Ma
tional Convention viii be pursued. TIL
buster which Manager Dixon for Co
Roosevelt is making about seats vii
cut no figure with the committee nei
ther will the committee allow the newly
elected members to take their place
until the terms Of the old members hav,
expired, and as these terms do not ex
pire until the convention is fully organ
lied and the credentials OF the delega
tlons voted on and accepted, there viii
be no change in the committee.
The great and overwhelming differ
ence between the present situation anC
the situation commonly confronted by
the National Committee Just prior tc
4 Presidential Convention, is that the
contests of delegations have multiplied
beyond all precedent and all reason
Large numbers Of these contests are un
doubtedly faxed for effect, and for the
purpose of giving a quasi standing to
q possible effort at revolt and rump
convention. Naturally, these contests
will fall into groups, and each group
will be decided on principles long since
adopted in given case; and the com.
mittee will settle the principles and de-
termine the result for all in that group,
And so, while contests are very formid-
| able IN number, it is likely that the
groupings will reduce the hearings to
no great number beyond those which
have been usual for the National COM
Inittee to hear prior to the assembling
Of the convention. Large numbers Of
contests have been brought on, for in.
stance, from the Southern States as
afterthoughts, merely for the purpose Of
making contests so that Roosevelt could
have some show of following, aside from
his real strength. A number Of district
contests In other States will also fall
into this same class, belated efforts in
order simply TO attempt to unseat Taft
delegates, and without even show of
regularity. All such cases as this can
be decided upon general principles, and
will fall into one group or class. These
contests will be decided upon prece-
dents established heretofore, according
to principles well recognized by the Ma
tional Committee in its hearings for
past conventions, Other contests or
groups will be found to fall under de.
cisions and principles heretofore settled
by the National committees OF tho past
In like cases. SO that, while the num-
Der Of contests is indeed formidable II,
mere enumeration, the committee will
probably find it comparatively easy to
group like cases together and settle
them easily upon principles that have
heretofore prevailed.
In the matter of the selection of the
temporary officers of the convention,
there Is precedent also for the pro-
posed opposition by the Roosevelt forces
to the selection by the committee OF
Senator Root to be the temporary chair
man. That precedent was in 1884. when
the friends of all other candidates unit
ed against Blaine and defeated tho Sc
lection of the committee for temporary
chairman. But still, Blaine was nomi-
mated by that convention, for. while the
factions found II possible to unite as
against a temporary chairman supposed
TO be favorable to Blaine. they were not
able to units upon any other candidate
for the Presidency. and so he won the |
fight after the preliminary defeat. The
possibility OF the defeat OF Senator |
Root this year. however, is remote, be.
cause there is no likelihood Of the union |
of the field" against him for this |
position, especially as neither La Fol. |
lette nor Cummins could hope for any
advantage in the triumph OF the Roose- |
velt forces on this point.
The procedure before the National |
Committee will be surprisingly tame to
those who expect 10 see a display of |
fireworks; for in every class Of cases
there will undoubtedly be found estab
ished precedent. to govern. and those
who object to the uphoiding OF estab-
iished precedents will have uphill work
Of IL 20 persuade the convention that
these precedcnts ought 70 be violated
The committee is not in the least likely
10 he stampedsd -; this is evident
in the calm and forcible reply OF Chair.
man New 10 the Dixon sxorbitance and
nsiStence; and since established usaOe
through the long years of the existence
'f the party has governed in the past
md Is ample TO cover every case likely
10 arise. IL is evident tina. those who
.ook for sensatiouslism prior 70 the as
'embly Of the convention, will be disap-
pointed. By the time that the convep.
'ion assemblies, the committee viii have
done its work, and will be prepared 10
submit us findings on all points. There
'sn be little doubt but that the eopven.
lion VII rstify the findings Of the com.