New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-17
Three More than the Number OF
Delegates Needed to Nominate
Already Found in His Column,
HiIleS and Mckinney Say.
ONLY 300 FOR ROOSEVELT
Chief Executive Points Out That
if Colonel We're to Get All
Yet TO Be Chosen He
Would Not Have
Majority.

Cleveland, May 16-President Taft re.
.eived tonight kilograms from his secre-
tary, G. -. Hiles. and William 3. Nc
kinley, director OF the Taft Bureau.
claiming 543 delegates to the convention
for Taft. Five hundred and forty is a
in the convention. The tele-
grams stated that the estimate included
four from Idaho. eight from Montana
and four from Arkansas
The President had nothing to add to
his statement earlier to-day regarding
the delegates TO Chicago. In that state
ment he said:
Only 1888 delegates to the Chicago corr
vention remain to be chosen. " Theo.
dore Roosevelt were to get all Of them,
yet he could not be nominated. Care
fully prepared figures show mat only
3O9 delegates thus far are instructed for
or pledoed to him. and the talk OF real
and genuine contests against delegates
who are instructed for nre is as unsus'
tained by the facts as many Of the MIS-
Ieadino issues which have been injected
into this campaign.
The number Of Taft delegates thus far
chosen. not counting the eight fror,
Montana and number from Texas and
Arkansas. who will be elected to day. -
$40, and tho vote in Ohio. my home state,
much TO my qualification, will be the de-
eisive one and will settle the question OF
tho nomination.
The Chicago convention will bs or.
aanized by the friends OF constitutional
government, and the success OF that
Great cause now seems assured.
Passed the Day Resting.
After a day OF rest. during which he
made two talks TO workingmen at locai
manufacturing plants and conferred win
Senator Burton and other state leaders,
President Taft spoke Tonight IN the
Central Armory here TO a great cro~o
The care taken TO spare his throat ana
to keep him quiet to-day showed III
the night speech. and IL was reJuVen-
ated President who faced the audience
in the big armory. He was more en-
nhatic in manner and more incisive in
speaking than he mad been for the last
two days Although his voice was stiii
hoarse. il was strong.
II would not he here TO bother you to-
night if it did not concern the American
people more than 1t does me to defeat
Theodore RooseN eli for the Presidency
was the way President Taft introduced
his criticism OF Colonel Roosevelt to-
night.
IF il were a purely personal matter
with me-" he continued, II would he con-
tent TO abide the verdict of time, and
would remain in the White House silent
under his misstatements and attacks
upon me- But more than my own feel
ings in the matter is at stake. IL is OF
supreme importance To the American
people.
"I am here most reluctantly, but l am
here from sense of duty said the
President. II am here TO ask justice for
an Ohio President
The crowd stamped and cheered and
applauded that statement with vigor.
Need Of Tariff Revision.
The President made the same type of
speech as throughout his Ohio tour, but
al times he varied the arguments for
support Of his administration. speaking
of the PAYNE tariff bill and the need ~X-
listing for further tariff revision. Ms
Taft got a laugh and cheer by remark.
ing:
If the Democrats will only give the
money I'll see that the schedules which
are too high will be revised.
Another remark that brought laughter
was made about the factions OF the Re
publican party when the President was
referring TO Progressive assistance IN
passing the railroad bill.
You can call them Progressives II
YOU like them, and insurgents 4 YOU
don't" he said
He himself called them "Progress!veS
many times When he came 10 dis~
cussion OF the postal savings bank bill.
however, he said
TT was opposed by the insurgents;
you see call them insurgents.
Defended His Work Fully.
Mr.. Taft spoke for an hour and half
and made probably the most compre-
hensive defence of his own administra.
ton that he has delivered I'm the present
campaign. Interruptions and words OK
announcement were heard frequently.
Mr.. Taft made some new phrases In
sneaking of Colonel Roosevelt. At one
point he called the cOloners ideas OK
constitutional government wild ana
ridiculous notions" and at another he
spoke Of Mr.. Roosevelt's tyranny ana
explosive Inconsistency"
The President brought again the
charge that Mr.. Roosevelt, his campaign
manager, Senator Dixon. and the Demo-
Gratis in the Senate were responsible Tor
the weakening OF the British and French
arbitration treaties.
Il propose, however" said the Presi-
dent. whether in or out of office, to
carry on the agitation for those treaties.
NV experience in more than forty states
of the Union last year has convinced me
that the American people are for rati-
fication of those treaties as they are"
Spending the night here. the President
will leave early tomorrow for Western
Ohio.