Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16
INTENSE FEELING
NEAR EXPLOSION
But Little Necessary to Cause
Serious Outbreak in
Chicago.
POLICE LAYING PLANS
TO QUELL HOTHEADS
Chief Will Head Large Guard Sta.
toned at Convention Hall.
BOTH SIDES STANDING PAT
Taft and Roosevelt Forces Continue
to Claim Ultimate Victory.
General Situation.

General Situation.
CHICAGO. June i5-Distinct and un.
mistakabie was the change I'm the atmos-
phere which followed the arrival of Col.
Roosevelt. II feeling had been intense
before II became explosive. and in every
quarter OF the convention crowd, from
the densely packed uptown districts to
the uttermost corner OF the most distant
hotel where delegates gathered, il was
plain that il would take very little 10
precipitate an outbreas.
Some thing of the piercing quality of
the famous rebel yell'" characterized
the snapping cheers which interrupted
Rooscve.ts 5 speech from the hotel bal
cony snortiy after his arrival. in the
midst Of the crowd the note of turbu-
lent defiance srooa forth on Canforn.a
oafncr. rhich waved with the cheering
Ct,iifornia Refuses 10 Try Title To Prop
erty Before the rhief VINO Stole 1T
And Mr.. Roosevelt causnt up the note
and made il the Key OF his speech.
feel Cris;s at Hand.
The feeling that matters had come TO
some k.nd of a crisis permeated both
factions.
Rumors of hotheaded pans were given
somewhat SERIOUS attention oy the off,
GERS in charge Of convention ar
rangemciils. some ot these rumors, un-
traceabie To their sources. went so far
AS TO sugSest the possibility that the
antf-faTt people Netud attempt 10 take
possession OF the convention hall on
Monday night; tnat there might pc ci-
forts to prevent the convention uom ell
fect.rg permanent organization at all.
early the day the democratic a6-
MN issration ~ the IIlA Oh Caicago was
taA.n into .counsei. Mayor Harrison
sured the onicers in cnarge OF the con-
vtntion arrangements that the city po-
lice We're ainp.y able to preserve order.
Chief OF fo.lce Ale ~ eeneA. IL WAS saiG,
would make his headquart. rs on MondAy
In the Colis. am building.
Prepared for Action.
Chief McWeeney declared that IL any
rough house tactics were attempted he
would be prepared to throw 40 police
men i'm front oil the stage within on
minute.
He would be brave man who under
took to say tonight wnat a day. an houi.
a minute might pring forth The fac
- that there is situation in Chicago
now unprecedented IN American politics.
and no human being can tell what viii
be its outcome. the hottest battles i'll
former conNcnticns OF ANY parry seem
almost insignificant compared with that
which is eliminating here.
IL is impossible 10 question the acces-
sion of confidence on the part of the
anti-Taft forces, which dated from the
arrival Of Mr.. Roosevelt. Whether IL
had substantial foundation no one can
say. Mr.. Roosevelt himself came on the
scene smiling. waving his now famous
hat TO the cncering crowds, and Ii his
confluence was f.igned it bore all the
appearance Of reality.
Last Big Bluff"
The Taft people welcomed him with
a statement on the part Of Campaign
Director Mckinley declaring that Roose-
velt's pilgrimage to Chicago represented
the last big blum of a defeated candi-
date. 1t had been expected that during
the day the Taft bureau would issue a
hroadside on the subject of alleged at
tempts 10 corrupt the Taft delegates. es-
pecially in answer 10 the Roosevelt pub
hcation last night Of the letter of Dele
gate Banks of Mississippi, which pur-
ported to return to the Taft director
several hundred dollars which IL i'm
piled had been given him for expenses
of delegates from Mississippi" Nothing
on this subject emanated from the TafI
headquarters and It was said there would
be no statement about II.
Question of the Hour.
Has COL Roosevelt helped his cause
by coming to Chicago To this aues
tion there were many answers. The
Roosevelt adherents admitted never
doubt that it has made his nomination
certainty Nobody could honestl.
question the accession of enthusiasm
in his following which marked his az
D,t ha raf lao
to believe that he has come too soon.
that In the two days which remain
before the convention begins the ~
mosphere will cool and the situation
relax into one of plain politics. ia
which party discipline and iiIcSors b
mathematics viii resume their "ontei
sway.
Both Sides Positive.
Tuning to the general political situa-
ton here. 1t has not greatly change:
during the last tgC ntH-four hours. Il Is
still case of fat-footed claims Oh both
sides, equally positive and quite incom-
patible, Of more thar enough for a nom
ination on the first ballot. And on th..
outside. waiting grimiy, the thirty-six L..
Toilette ana the ten Ccmmins men. al
most equally opposed TO Taft and to
Roosevelt.
Impartial observers. however. agreed
that despite all the Taper estimates" Of
either side, neither Taft nor Roosevelt
had a certain maj jority in the convention
and that both the Roosevelt and the Taft
leaders know in their hearts that to VIII.
they must acquire on the one land. OF.
hold on the other. lot of the delegates
from the south.
Taft Men Confident.
The Taft men affected entire confidence
on this subject.
These negro delegates from the
SOUTH" said one of these men. ARE not
OF the kind that used to make Il
scandal by yielding to arguments other
than those OF political nature. Many
of them are men of property and
standing in their communities. They
will stand fast and no Establishments or
temptations Of a corrupt character viii
sway them"
The Banks letter Of last night. how
ever, gave the Taft people considerable
anxiety. and they devoted eager at
tention to the southern delegates
they took occasion TO Is
sue a threat that the breaking ol H.
structions by Taft delegates from 49,