Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-04-12
BRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, APRIL ~, 1912
TAFT 6, ROOSEVELT 2
That's Vermont's Vote in Dele
gates to Chicago
State and First District Conventions for
the President, Second District for the
Colonel.

t"e r'es'uent, Seeonu Dlstrlct Tor the
Colonel.
Montpelier, Vt, April 10-Supporters of
| President Taft controlled the Republican
state convention today, winning on the
two ballots taken by majorities of 81
and 49,
Four delegates at-arge to the Re-
publican National convention were elect
| ed, two unanimously and two after a
| contest All the delegates at large are
| personally in favor of the denomination
! of President Taft. The convention did
not instruct the delegates-at-arge the
| Taft men being content with a strong
Endorsement of the President and his ad-
minstration Such Endorsement, the Taft
men claimed tonight, is equivalent to
| instructions. Apparently it is so under
stood by the delegates, for John L.
Lewis, one of them, who was elected
unanimously, gave out a statement to-
night in which he said.
THE four MISUNDERSTANDING are, as
l understand it, favorable to the re-
nomination of President Taft. The reso-
lutions of the convention commit them
| to the candidacy of Mr.. Taft"
Though the Roosevelt people had been
proclalming their fear of fraud and
tiickery on the part of the Taft man
ayers, Mr.. Batchelder, their leader, ad-
mitted tonight that the state convention
was fair and square.
The Vermont delegation large to
! Chicago will be as follows:
United States Senator Carroll S. Page
of Hyde Park, j. Gray Estey of Brat
| tleboro, John l.. Lewis of North Troy,
| Gov. John a. Mead of Rutland
The alternate large chosen today
were Joseph G. Stearns of Burlington,
Lieut.. Gov. l.. p. Slack of st. Johnsbury,
Orlando L. Martin of Planfeld and
Newman X. Chaffee of Rutland.
The state convention today was the
climax of one of the hottest political
fights in Vermont in years and the
strength of the rival factions was not
revealed until Col. Estey, a Taft man.
was elected delegate over Henry l..
Ballou of Chester a Roosevelt supporter
by majority of g.
The majority was further reduced in
the election of Gov. Mead as the fourth
delegate by IS votes over DIR. Jesse A.
Thompson of Rutland.
OF the SOS delegates entitled to seats
$50 were present.
The convention was called to order in
the new city hall a 2.25 p. m by State
Chairman Frank c. Williams of New
port. Prayer was offered by Rev. Stan
ley NJ. Bloomfield of Montpelier
The temporary organization, consisting
of United States Senator w. p. Dilling-
ham of Montpelier chairman; Guy M
Page, Burlington, assistant secretary
and James Kendall of Strafford, secre-
tary, named by the state committee, was
made permanent organization.
Senator Dillingham; opened with
ringing political speech, dwelling at
length upon what the party had done
during the past quarter of century.
Once he referred to Col. Roosevelt, say
ing: 1T is utterly impossible for any
one individual to make his opinions the
opinion of all the people all the time and
the country must be governed by parties
and not by individuals"
This remark brought forth the cheers
of the house, especially from one sec
ton of the crowded gallery, where a
big crowd of Taft supporters were
gathered with cowbells, horns, mega
phones and whistles.
Charles H. Stearns of Johnson nomi-
mated Senator Carroll s. Page imme-
diately following Mr.. Dilingham's
speech. 1t had been previously stated
by Senator Page that he would abide
by the vote of the convention and the
Roosevelt men conceded to a viva voce
vote for Mr.. Page, his election being
| unanimous.
1t was not until Col. j. Gray Estey
was nominated by Walter E. Hubbard
of Brattleboro that the actual voting
strength of the Taft delegates was
shown and the real sense of the con-
vention determined. The Roosevelt
forces ran Rev Henry L. Ballou Of Ches-
ter for second delegate against Col.
| Estey. Mr.. Ballou's name was present.
ed by DIR. ]. II. Blodgett of Rockingham.
| Seconding speeches for both candidates
were made from nearly every county in
| the state
The result of the vote was GIG votes
| cast; for Col. Estey $40; for Mr.. Ballou,
3O6; majority for Estey, GA.
| This broke the real tension of the 700
! delegates who for "a hours had not
known exactly where they would land
| when the count came.
John l.. Lewis upon similar conditions
| to those existing in Senator Pages case
| was elected by a viva voce vote.
The second display of strength to
| show the Roosevelt men that they were
really beaten and that the convention
would eventually adopt Taft resolutions
came in the vote for fourth delegate.
| The Taft forces named Gov. Mead and
the Roosevelt men presented DR.. Jesse
| f. Thompson of Rutland. The vote was:
Mead, 35s; Thompson. S05; majority for
Mead. SO. Frank White of Rutland
nominated Gov. Mead and Rev Fraser
Metzger of Randolph did the honors for
Dr. Thompson.
The resolutions prepared by COM
mittee of one from each county strangly
endorsed the administration of President
| Taft. These were read to the convention
by Chairman F. c. Partridge of Proctor
| On the yea and nay vote on the question
of adoption the yeas plainly predominant
| ed. Batchelder called for ballot but
could not make himself heard Chair
man Dillingham; called for a yea and
nay vote second time and declared the
resolutions adopted. Before the conven-
tion closed Senator Townshend of Michi-
gan gave a ringing address in which he
| indorsed President Taft