Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-29

contests were aNOWeQly lnStlgaIeQ not
for the purpose of really securing
seats in the convention, not for the
purpose CT adducing evidence which
would lead any respectable court to
entertain the contests, but for the pur-
pose OF deceiving the public into the
belief that Mr.. Roosevelt had more
votes than he really had, as the con-
ventions and primaries were in pro
gress for the selection Of delegates.
The 23S contests were reduced by
abandonment, formal or in substance,
to "A. The very fact of these 1874
frivolous contests itself reflects upon
the genuineness and validity of the re-
mainder."
VOTE IN ETAIL.
The resume then enumerated the
contests, and reviews the arguments
in each case. The review of the evil
dence in the contests embraced in
the White house statement is certi-
fed to by Victor Rosewater, chairman
of the national committee, and Tho
mas H, Devine, chairman Of the Gre
dentials committee. AS an appendix,
the statement carries in detail the
vote in the national committee on
each Of the contests, and a statement
OF the dates of the Taft and Roose-
welt conventions in contested states
The object OF the latter is to show
that the Roosevelt delegates were
chosen after the regular conventions
had named Taft representatives.
Another appendix is the report of
! the credentials committee to the con-
vention, in which the statement is
sued by the Roosevelt committeeman
attacking the majority Of the COM
nittee was answered. In discussing
/ the charge the report said:
MALICIOUsLY UNTRUE.
THE statement as a whole in its in
situations of combination of I'M
worthy motive, in its recital of alleg-
ed facts, is grossly and maliciously
untrue. 1t was intended to convey
the impression that the time for hear
ing cases was so limited as to prevent
their being properly presented to the
committee. The untruthfulness of
this statement is clearly shown by
the records of the committee and the
newspaper reports of its deliberations.
Not only did the rules make liberal
provision for time in presenting the
cases, but in every instance where the
parties presenting the cases, or any
member of the committee, asked for
an extension of time, 1t was granted"
The statement of the Roosevelt
members of the committee asserted
that the speed with which the creden.
tails committee brought in reports
made it evident that the reports had
been prepared beforehand" In reply
to this statement the appendix to the
White house statement said:
ADVANCE REPORTS DENIED.
''In regard to the assertion that re
ports were prepared in advance of the
action of the committee on credentials
no one of the gentlemen who makes
this statement will state of his OWE
personal knowledge that any reports
were thus made"
In concluding, the majority of the
credentials committee, defending its
decisions. said:
LAS to the merits of these contest
ed cases upon which the committee
passed it should be remembered that
the national committee sat for Is dav,
hearing evidence and argument upoI
: them. Out of total membership o
50 only Is members of that committe,
objected TO the findings and decision
and they only with regard to a part o
the cases, the action of the committe,
having been unanimous with regart
: TO a majority of them. The conven
D ton declined, by a substantial major
. ity, to reverse the action of the ma
' tional committee, and it referred tn
/ contested cases TO the committee o.
+ credentials.
G ALL ARE HEARD.
/. When our committee met, rule
I were adopted by unanimous vote. n
> one desiring to make complaint as I
? the seating Of any delegate was pr,
vented from presenting his case. Tn
V committee even considered case
a which had been decided by a unan
g nous vote of the national committe,
s notably the Indiana case.
/. The committee on credentials {
I the republican national conventio
o consists of SO members The con
p mittee in every case sustained tn
n decision of the national committe
n and in no case by majorities of les
o than two-thirds. This statement
4 facts, Endorsed by 40 members of III
committee, who listened patient
q through all-day and all-night session
i, 70 evidence and argument in order
=. be able to judge cases intelligent
>, and pass upon them honestly, shou
;, be a sufficient answer to the rockies
unwarranted and untruthful asse
tons contained in the statement sig
. ed by IL members OF the committe
II two Of whom did not attend session
"A Of the committee. did not hear any
the evidence presented, and nearly a
40 of whom indicated their bias by VI
- ing in every case for the delegat
known TO be favorable to Mr.. Roos
: Welt including numerous cases
which the action of the national COZ
mittee had been unanimous for Il
Taft delegates"
AS appendices the statement ca