Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-18
ROOSE EVELT CONTINGENT PREPARING n BOLT

urged that this be the signal for the break" and that they proceed forth with to nominate MT. Roosevelt in the convention hall. The moderate mem- Ders Of the Roosevelt council urged that the temporary organization of the convention was not the convention it. self and that the fire of the Roosevelt forces should be reserved for later in the session. This does not mean there will be an absence of fight from the fall of the gavel; the Roosevelt leaders are anxious to get their stand before the country at the earliest op portunity and they propose to make their position clear-to give definite and general understanding of the prin- ciple for which they say they are fight ing, at the very outset. Colonel Roose- welt urged tonight that the fight begin at once and it will. but the first day may be confined to the skirmish lines. Some Roosevelt Delegates to Vote for
 Root.
 It seems certain tonight that Senator Root will be elected temporary chair man tomorrow over the protests and the votes of the Roosevelt delegates. Colonel Roosevelt and his staff, how ever, spent much of the day in center ing the fight on MT. Root, the coloned going so far as to appear before the Illinois delegation in person and mak- ing a direct appeal to his 56 instruct ed delegates to vote against the Taft candidate for presiding officer. It was reported later that twenty Illinois del- egates instructed for Roosevelt would vote for MT. Root. Governor Deneen denied this and asserted that not more fhoN Terhf Af ha Aaf6 support the New York senator. The Illinois caucus was a long one. Col onel Roosevelt is said to have address ed Governor Deneen pointedly and to have told him he would be personally responsible for the conduct of his del egates.
 Senator Root Under Physician's Care.
 Senator Root, the prospective storm center of the first great fight, was i'll tonight and under the care of a physi- clan. He could speak scarcely above whisper but hoped to be in condition tomorrow to make the opening ad dress.
 The Taft people tonight selected for mer Representative James B. Watson of Indiana as their floor leader to match wits and parliamentary knowl edge with Governor Hadley of Mis- souri. Both chieftains will have a staff of assistants constantly at their side and some shrewd moves are expected.
 Protest to Credentials Committee.
 Incidentally the Roosevelt minority members of the national committee are preparing a protest to file before the committee on credentials when 1t comes to pass upon the contested seats. The most vigorous fights will be made in the cases of the two delegates from the Ninth Alabama district, the two from the Fourth California, and all of the Roosevelt delegates in the Texas and Washington delega1ons This protest eventually will be taken to the floor of the convention.
 If defeated in all their preliminary moves, the Roosevelt forces will con tinue their fight on the report of, the committee on credentials and on Sen ator Root for permanent chairman. Every move in the Taft programme will be stu'bbornly contested and it will only be as a last resort that a bolt or a second convention in the conven- ton hall will be called.
 Alleged Deserters Loyal to Taft.
 The Taft headquarters issued state ments tonight declaring that nearly all the delegates claimed last night by the Roosevelt people as having gone over to their side today had signed pledges of fealty to President Taft.
 An interesting sidelight on the tense situation was the action of the Roose- welt Oklahoma delegation today in de- feating, IS to 2, motion to bind the delegates to support the nominee of the convention.
 The platform makers of both camps were idle today, They appear to be- lieve they will have plenty of time for deliberation before the platform stage of the convention is reached.
 Roosevelt Confident of Victory,
 Colonel Roosevelt, before going te the mass meeting tonight, expressed confidence that his followers would control the convention and that he would be nominated as the candidate for president.
 T am not certain" said Mir. Roose- welt, when asked about the plans of his friends tomorrow, just when the first test of our strength will come. believe that our general plan of cam paign will be carried out It is pessi- ble that the first test vote will come on the election of a temporary chair man."
 Dixon Claims Many Taft Delegates. Senator Dixon, head of the Roose- welt campaign, had spent several hours talking with southern delegates, many of them negroes, and tonight reiterated his claim that many of the Taft dele gates had come over to Roosevelt.
 They are coming to us in punches ,'' declared Senator Dixon, but I am not going to make public the names of our converted delegates. If we let it be- come known who our delegates are the Taft fellows would be after them and make trouble for them.
 But you can put 1t down that we will control the organization and nom mate Roosevelt. I think we will name Senator Borah for temporary chairman in place of MT. Root. We will have at least forty-two majority for Roose velt for the nomination.
 Those BaIky Illinois Delegates.
 Not more. than eight and probably not more than six of our delegation will vote against the Roosevelt nom inee for temporary chairman" said Governor Deneen of Illinois tonight. T have heard the reports that twenty of our 58 votes will be cast for Senator Root, but we know that Is not the case. The great majority of us will insist upon supporting the Roosevelt pro- gramme throughout"
 A Disturbing Rumor. One rumor that reached Taft head quarters was that the Roosevelt lead CTS had planned to place defeated con testants for seats in the convention hall in the places of delegates award ed places by the national committee The rumer had 1t that Cecil Lyon of Texas and ether Roosevelt members of the national committee, whe had 1 charge of the distribution of tickets 1 fer their states would not give up the credentials to the raft men but would issue them te the defeated Roosevelt 1 delegates, Tfhe fuHlor gathered mo- IneafnH as it went through the eEeWd- cd lebbies and when it reached Taft headquarters 1t was declared that five