Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-02
Delegates Stand IS for Taft, IS for Roosevelt,
But Colonel Refuses to Accept Part, Owing to
Taft Carrying Preferential vote-HiS 8 Dele
gateS-at-Large Are Left Free to Act.
EACH FREE TO ACT.

Boston, May after two confer
ences. today. the eight Roosevelt dele
gates at-large elected to the Chicago
convention, decided NOT @ take any
Joint action on the attitude adopted
by Col Roosevelt in releasing them
from obligation to vote fer him, but
to leave each delegate free to act as
he sees fit. A statement issued, late
tonight, by Matthew Hale, chairman
of the Roosevelt committee says
I'm view of the complicated politi-
cal conditions following out of the
State primaries. l decided to call
meeting of the eight delegates-at
large to discuss the situation. | ha6
not then heard anything about Col.
Roosevelt's statement regarding the
delegates large. The delegates who
assembled had, l believe seen the
newspaper accounts of the colonel's
statement.
with the knowledge on the part
of each delegate that he had been
elected fairly and squarely by a large
majority over the Taft delegates it
was the unanimous opinion that they
should stand together and vote for
Roosevelt. Consequently joint
statement to this effect was signed
BY each delegate present.
Later in the day and after careful
ly considering the position so force
fully taken by Col. Roosevelt, the sit
uation was again talked over with thu
delegates and they decided to take no
joint action, but to rescind their
agreement, and leave each individual
delegate free to determine for himself
his responsibility to his constitunts,
and to act accordingly"
Although the Republicans of the
state selected President Taft as their
candidate for denomination by ma
majority of 1865 over Col. Roosevelt on
the Presidential preference ballot, at
the same time they elected by decis-
i've vote the entire Roosevelt slate of
eight delegates t-large.
Colonel Roosevelt secured 10 more
delegates in the district elections and
| the President carried nine districts so
that both Taft and Roosevelt have Is
delegates each from the state to the
| National convention
The total preferential vote for the
| three Republican candidates with re-
turns from the town of Gosnold still
missing. was as follows:
La Toilette 1866; Roosevelt l,15S;
Taft 74.S0s.
| A somewhat similar situation was
created on the Democratic ballot.
Speaker Clark. who had no pledged
delegates ON the ticket, received ,
| to ] vote against Gov. Wilson in the
| Presidential preference column. AT the
same time MISUNDERSTANDING pledged
| to Gov. Foss of Massachusetts, were
elected to attend the Baltimore con-
vention and the name of Gov. Foss
did not appear in the Presidential pref
erence column at all.
Roosevelt followers have announced
their intention of asking a recount in
the 9th. on account of the eloseness OF
the vote.
In his request to the delegates-at-
large. Col Roosevelt declared that il
was his wish to abide by the will of
the people and that therefore the del
egatcs though elected as pledged to
him, should vote for Mr.. Taft who
had received the Presidential prefer
ence majority vote. One by one the
delegates as they were heard from. to-
dav. however. declared that under nc
circumstances would they cast theiI
ballots other than as they had been
pledged.
Charles S. Baxter of Medford. who
headed the delegation, said he had al
| WAYS been Roosevelt man. was
| elected as Roosevelt man, and
| should SO continue to be. Arthur H.
| Mason of Haverhill and George w
| Coleman of Boston declared they
would absolutely refuse to abide by
any such request" James p. Magenis
of Boston took the position that he
had been elected as a Roosevelt dele
gate and ne Gould see no way o.
| avoiding the direction The remain
ing delegates expressed themselve.
similarly.
Both the Roosevelt and Taft head
quarters managers remained silent
tonight, upon the announcement o
Col. Roosevelt.
A slightly different Interpretation o
the primary law as respecting distrie
! delegates was brought forward b.
, Judge Thomas p. Riley chairman o
the Democratic State committee in
statement issued. tonight. Judge Rifle
asserted that all district delegate
II Continued on Page Twelve)