Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1912-06-28
ROOT NAMED AS CHAIRMAN
Taft Forces Win First Blood in Organizing the
Chicago Convention.

Chicago, Ill.-Against the threats,
charges and bitter invection Of the
Roosevelt forces, the Taft supporters
In the Republican national convention
put through the first portion Of their
program by electing Senator Elihu
Root, Of New York, temporary chair
man. In spite of the fact that Victor
Rosewater, chairman Of the national
committee, consistently ruled out Of
order every motion made by the
Roosevelt forces, it required more
than. I'VE hours to reach vote on
the Craftsmanship.
Vote $50 to 500.
The calling OF the roll was beset
with dificulties from the first name
on the lists Of delegates, but In the
end, when the tumult died away. Sen
ator Root was found to have won by
the vote Of 55S to 500 over Governor
Francis e. McGovern, Of Wisconsin.
with 10 scattering votes and five not
voting or absent.
Both Forces Claim Victory.
Both the Taft and Roosevelt forces
claimed that this vote indicates that
their candidate is absolutely sure to
win. The advantage appears ! to be
with the president, however, for, while
he is sure to lose some Of the votes
that were cast for Senator Root, it is
claimed that he will gain. of instruc-
ton are lived up to, some Of the
votes independently cast for McGov-
ern.
This leaders who have been urging
. compromise candidate ever since
they arrived in. Chicago are pointing
to another angle in the figures and
claim that they show that it Is es-
sential to name a so-called Ozark
horse" to save the day for the Re
publican party.
While Mr.. Root was made chairman
and managed to deliver his keynote"
speech. the fighting will be renewed
when the motion Of the Roosevelt
leaders to substitute q new list Of
delegates for those seated in some Of
the contested cases heard before the
national committee, will be taken up
a. the unfinished business. No COM
mittees were named and none will be
until this motion to purge" the con-
vention Of fraudulent delegates" is
disposed of.
It was defeated on q point Of order
but the Roosevelt forces declare that
the parliamentary practice will not be
| permitted to stand in their way.
The Roosevelt people and the Taft
people carried out their programs as
announced In advance, almost to the
letter. The Roosevelt people declared
that they will light every inch Of the
way.
The cry Of 'boltsrs'' was hurled at
the Roosevelt delegates at times dur
ing. the session. but the contingency Of
bolt seemed to be far distant.
California 6eIlIgerent.
California, under the leadership Of
Governor Hiram Johnson. assumed
belligerent attitude almost with the
start Of the roll call, when the two
Roosevelt delegates from the Fourth
district, unseated by the national COM
mittee. were not allowed to vote. Two
votes for Root was the only encroach-
ment in that state up the vote cast
for McGovern. Later, Pennsylvania
made fierce protest against the vote
Of an alternate.
There n prosect of a bitter
struggle when as unfinished bust.
ness the convention will take up a
motion of Governor Hadley Of Mis-
surf to strike from the temporary roll
Of the convention, as prepared by
the national committee, the names of
% delegates seated by the national
committee in contested election case
and substitute those of the Roose-
contestants.
Taft and Roosevelt leaders burned
the midnight oil analysing again and
again the first test vote Of the Republic
can national convention with respect
to it's bearing in the presidential nomi-
nation.
It was inevitable that conflicting
claims should be put out from the
two Neutrality-suspicious. far in ex-
cess of the vedrock figures which the
leaders are attempting to keep a close
secret within their inner councils.
The Taft forces in the convention
elected Senator Elihu Root as tempo
rary chairman. 558 vote being cast
for him. This was IS more than a
majority Of the 1913 delegates in the
convention. 1t was realized from the
first that the vote on Senator Root,
howavor Would mot raHoot tho oc<ro1
strength either of Mr.. Taft or Mr..
Roosevelt.
At a conference Of the Taft lead
ers it was said that they had scaled
down and cut out the doubtful votes
from the Root total and their final
analysis showed 542 votes for the
president. two more than enough to
nominate. Even these figures, it was
said, included few "wobbly" dele
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