Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-18
If Opponent Should Get All
Delegates to be Named
Yet He Couldn't be Nom
mated Says President.
REPLY CALLED FORTH
BY COLONEL'S CLAIM
Roosevelt in Statement Had
Claimed He Had More
Than 500 Delegates and
Most of Uninstructed.

| Cleveland, May lo.-ln e'o.o
issued today President Taft said tnat
the claim of Theodore Roosevelt tnat
he controlled 522 delegates TO the
republican national convention at chi
caeo was without foundation. me
president said that If Mr.. Roosevelt
we're to get all the delegates yet 10
he chosen he could not be nomlnateu'
president Taft pointed out that MI.
Roosevelt had only 800 delegates ana
FOR the first time admitted that the re-
sult of the primaries in Ohio VII! set
tie the question of the republican
nomination. 1.-The vote in ONO, my
home state, much to my gratifcatlon'
will be the decisive one and VIII SCI.
tie the question Of the nomination.
said the president. ....
Today is to be largely day OF rest
for President Taft His special romeo
into the city shortly after midnlgnt
and was brought to stop on switch:
The president breakfasted ABOARD
his car later leaving for downtown
hotel, where he was expected ~ nee
some of the local leaders. Ionlen'
the president will address a mass mee''
ing in Central armory.
Colonel RooseveIt's Statement.
DAYTON, O., May 16.-1n the opinion
OF Theodore Roosevelt, the campaign
for the republican nomination lot
nresident has now been decided. ne
dictated this statement last night.
"rhe number OF delegates necessary
ia nominate is $780, OF the delegates
already elected. without counting the
contested DELEGATES, have more than
200 OF the delegates yet to be elected
am confident will receive enough 10
insure my nomination on the first pal
lot" s.@
Colonel Rooseveft's claim was, based
unon a table of delegates prepared by
his secretary. According to this cal
culation there are nearly 500 delegates
already elected and instructed 1or
Roosevelt without including any I'M
Instructed or contested delegates. Col.
Roosevelt said that as he went over
the table that he was assured OF
enough votes from the total OF unin'
str,1cted and contested delegates TO oe
able to state that of the delegates a.
ready selected he had more tnan ooo.
He referred to number OF states IN
which he said he would receive more
votes than are included In the llst OF
delegates now instructed for him. Inc
table, he added, did not take into con-
sideration the chances Of obtaining
delegates from Ohio or New Jersey.
In speaking at Kenton Col. Roose-
welt said:
"Of uncontested delegates that
have been elected we now have a con-
siderable majority over Mr. Taft. On
the present showing 1t would be I'M
possible to nominate him except by un'
fairly and improperly seating delegates
who have no possible claim to sit IN
the convention
Called His Bluff Says Roosevelt.
Greenville, O., May 16.-"I called his
bluff" said Col. Roosevelt today or
President Taft He was speaking at
Greenville on the Canadian reciprocity
BILL saying the president had attempt
ed to show that the ex-president was
with him in the fight for reciprocity.
Col. Roosevelt said that when he at
first favored the bill, he had not known
it's character. when I learned later
on that it worked to the advantage OF
the beef trust and the millers' trust,
I had to put myself against IT, the
colonel said. when found that the
president deliberately was using my
support Of the measure to influence
the people, against me, we'll. called
his bluff. if may be permitted to use
such term