The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-15
Friends in Chicago
Plan a Big Demonstration
In Hope of Stampeding the
Weakened Delegates.
TO Be THE ONLY SPEAKER
At the Mass Meeting Arranged
for Next Monday Night.
Everything in Readiness for
the Convention.

Chicago, June 15.-The imminent
arrival of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
today overshadowed all other pre-
Iiminaries to next weeks Republican
convention. Throughout the day dis
cussion of the former presidents sud-
den trip from Oyster Bay to Chicago
held the foreground to the practical
exclusion of other pre-convention ac-
tivity. AS the hour for the arrival of
the Roosevelt train came near. interest
and excitement in many quarters be-
came intense. A number of hours be
fore the train was scheduled to enter
the La Sale street station, hundreds
of people had gathered at that point
determined to hold their vantage
ground until they had seen Colonel
Roosevelt. In the waiting throng were
many delegates to the convention. But
these were not the only ones on hand
to greet the former president.
Bat" Masterson, one time resident
of the Black Hills, South. Dakota, and
now of New York, together with q
number of his friends and crowd or
western admirers of Colonel Roose-
welt who reached Chicago last night.
impatient1y awaited the train from the
east All indications pointed to i've
ly demonstration by the Roosevelt ad-
herents tonight. The leaders had plan
ned the demonstration for Monday
nights mass meeting at Chicago's
largest theater, but it appeared i'm
delegations until that time.
Must Break Into Taft Ranks.
The entire Republican convention
struggle will center about Colonel
Roosevelt from the moment he alights
from his train here late this afternoon.
1t will be his power of political ma
nipulation matched against wits. the
strategy, and staying powers OF the
Taft forces. To win the nomination.
Colonel Roosevelt either must break
To thew appear
near the settlement of the last dele
gates contest by the nationaI com
mittee or else win the support OF the
LaFollette and Cummins delegates or
both. His followers are enthusiastic in
their belief that he and they together
can sweep the convention.
Everything pertaining to the conven-
tion on the Roosevelt side from the
election of temporary chairman to the
final struggle for control Will be oil
rectlv under the supervision of Roose-
Welt himself from this time. RooseVelt
leaders said that it was principally &c
have his personal advice at first hand
that they urged him to come toda. f
Also it is planned to have him get b
in personal touch with delegates Whc
have been counted nominally as Tart
supporters but who are regarded as
possibilities for the Roosevelt side. a
majority of these come from the south
No Fixed Program.
The leaders have arranged no fixed
program of activity for Col. Roosevelt
while here. He will be permitted to
take personal charge of his campaign
and do lust as he sees fit to do. There
is only one exception to this rule of
personal freedom and that is Mondsy
nights mass meeting. Here the for
mer president is scheduled to deliver
lengthy address. All of the speakers
who we're to appear at that meeting
have been told that their services will
not be required and that the colonel
will have the whole field to HIMSELF
According to tentative plans announc-
ed this morning he will remain in Chi
cago until the conclusion of the ma
tional convention. This in itself is
such a departure in the accepted pro-
cedure of past candidates. as to fur
nish much food for speculation.
1t seems probable that he will at
tend the convention during it's sessions.
His followers insist that If he attends
the convention he will address the del
egates in explanation of his attitude
on the issues that he has raised. Such
an address would give opportunity for
a stampede of the variety that was
feared ever by Col Roosevelt himself
four years ago. Roosevelt followers are
hoping that such an opportunity win
arise.
The Roosevelt party, on its arrival
here will be met by a committee head
ed by Alexander H. Revell. chairman of
the national Roosevelt committee and