The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-06
What the Taft Forces Fear Is
That Colonel Roosevelt
Will Suddenly Appear
in Person
PRELIMlNARIES TO
BEGIN TO-DAY WHEN
CONTEST COME UP
First Slug Colonel Through
the Ropes Then Nomi-
nate Taft If You CAM"
Is Administra-
lions Cry
by JAMES j, MONTAGUE

BY JAMES j. MONTAGUE,
CHICAGO. June with the NONE
nation of Taft more side issue all
the big guns of the reaetionaries, on
the eve of the first skirmish. ara
trained on Roosevelt. The national
committee Will get together at
O'Clock tomorrow afternoon. after
much tumult and shouting, and the
real tight will begin with the hearing
Of the 226 contests
First slug the colonel through the
ropes, then nominate Taft, If -ou can.
was the word that went out to the
committeeman after Crane, Penrose
and Mckinley. all of whom got here
today, had gone into solemn conciaVs
IN Taft headquarters
The Taft people have cheered up
a bit, The big bosses want to keep.
them cheerful. If the committee
loses it's nerve, r r. will grab the
nomination in short order. and chain
Penrose. Crane Mckinley, ct al, 70
his chariot wheels, while the chain
ing is go ID.
In View of this alarming possibility.
Penrose was SO busy buzzing commits
teemen, al the morning. that he was
half an hour late for the ball game.
All tho major generals got on The
job today Mckinley with an impress
siVe following. got In at . O'Clock, and
went into instant retirement in the
bosom of his suite. Dixon cana
half hour later. and took a room IN
the same hotel, but approximately
half a mile AWAY from Mckinley. Pens
rose followed by Pennsylvania faith
full to the number of ten or twelve.
arrived just ahead of Crane, who fit
ted silently through the corridor. and
was lost to sight and sound ~ Nc
klnley's room for the remainder ct
the day.
Typewriter Claims.
From time 10 time, typew-it.en
statements. claiming everything IN
sight. drlfted out from both head
quarters Senator Dixon said II priv.
ate conversation. that anyboav who
had anything worth betting was a
bad financer If he did not bet il on
Roosevelt at any odds he could get.
you can say for me- said Dixon.
that the nomination of Taft Is not
human or physical. possibility.
They've got 10 have a lot Of Our de!e-
gates to nominate him with. and We
giving away delegates, or SELF
Ing them. take it from me-
Meanwhile Mckinley and Crane
we're busy with the committe einen.
most OF whom showed up ready for
work during the morning Keep up
your courage" he told them. Go at
the Roosevelt contests that look weak
first Dispose of them quick, and De
public about It. and We'll show hen
,tat most II the contests are n.uHs-
After that we can take up the con-
tests that are on the level and deal
with them on their merits.
Contests Number 2.6
- There are-a26 contests altogether.
Mckinley admits that about ten OF
them are really worth considering.
He sags that ,l5a ae them ara "phnnyt.
ivy nae en,s politicians Vefaae ~
ia violating no confidence TO say that
these contests will be the first to pe
considered, beginning with Alabama.
-saa-tll..t this means tR.l--Iaii-cr0M0
hopes To convey the impression that
all the Roosevelt eggs are rots ana
SPOTS. and persuade the committee 70
throw away the whole basket.
Fear Colonel's Presence.
What is worrying Mckinley. Crane
and Penrose more than anything else,
IL the fear that the colonel wifi jump
on a train, like Sheridan jumped on
a horse. and come out and start
something.
Cecil Lyon. the coloneFs Texas
booster. observed today that when ft
cmes to Zip, zip, yiping, the colonel
has got the ioudest Taft men looking
like Murray Crane. It the coionei
does come, no one doubts that there
will be trouble with capital Il
around here. from the moment ne
arrives.
He Has En- Scared.
Heartened as they are. or pretend
. he
nerve on the part of the national
committeeman, the Taft crowd -
still nortally afraid of Roosevelt.
They know that he hurled Barnes
out of the Saratoga convention With
out any trouble, ana they shudder
every time they think of his coming
to do the same thing.
They aren't banking much On
Barnes. anyway. Taft picked him
out for them. but T5arnes will have
to show something before he WIN
be put in charge of the fight. ~
usual with general officers. the whOlo
crowd of them are eaten up with
jealousy, and the idea OF having HI
Barnes come in and take the fight OFT
OF their hands, makes no hit W1@MI
them. sa3
The town began 10 wear = pF0
convention aspect early In the uuOxIT3
ing Men OF national political iMpo
lance were to be found leaning
against every column In the ConGF9
Barnes sent Lafe Gleason. secFatm
of the New York State eommittoe. 81
as an advance man. with =.
Hutchinson as helper. ChArlAa
BROKER. ono Of the best little HAG
Welt hAters in Connecticut. cannG
and swore IT. - national c0nn1n1
man Ralph WftNxma wh0 lHep752