The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-06
Leaders of the Presidents
Forces Have Decided
To Use Majority in Committee
for His Benefit.
ARE 254 CONTESTED SEATS
Dixon Is Offered a Proxy, but
Declines 1t.
Deliberations Will Be Open to
Big News Associations.

Chicago. .Tune 6-Although the
representation was not complete
majority of the members OF the he-
publican national committee as
sembled today prepared to enter ten
day series of meetings which VIII de-
termine what men shall fill Zo4 con
tested seats of a total of 1,O7S, seats
on the floor of the convention when
it is called to order June Is.
This meeting is expected to develop
a skirmish between the TAFT ana
Roosevelt forces which may become
highly important in foreshadoWlhS
fba line of fighting that will be car
ried into the convention. Inc 1eai
leaders according to reports from va
rious sources, had decided 10 use
their claimed majority OF the coIh- cI
mittee to seat Taft delegates in nearly
all of the many contests.
II s. Senator Boies Penrose ana
several other Taft leaders Expressed
eagerness to clean up the prellmln-
arv work of the committee as quickly
as possible and get down to the acI-
nal work of hearing contests late to-
day. 1,;,e;nia
coumitfeenan sent his proxy to Har-
rv s New, chairman of the supcoHl-
1,3i+tee ON arrangements who Will de-
termine who will hold II.
Dixon Refuses a Proxy.
Senator Dixon, leader of the Roose-
welt forces was offered proxy py
rnerober of the national committee
whose name he declined to dlNulse'
but said that, in view OF the po! posls!oI
taken by the Roosevelt men regarding
the non-partisanship OF the coHlilll-
tee it would be impossible for him TO
take part in the contest hearing
The nroxy of S. A. Perkins OF WASH
ington. will be held by A M. SteIen-
son of Denver, pending the arrival OF
of h.
riU Moores of Indianapolis, FORMER
classmate of President Taft arrived
today prepared to represent tte al
men in the Indiana contests.
On the question of open OF closeu
sessions members of the committee
tentatively had agreed to admit Two
representatives of each press aSsocld-
ton recognized on the tloor OF coiI- L
gress This arrangement IL was urs-
ed would assure publicity on the de-
Iiberations of that body without un-
necessary complications Whlch -rlI 1llsnl
result if the meeting were tiiro"H II
omen without limitation.
conference of the members OF the
national committee from southern
states presided over by Z. > senator
Newell Sanders of Ienhesseei "a
held lust previous to the opening OF
the committee meeting. After the
meeting Senator Sanders sald the
southern members had agreed 70
stand together sohdly lot RreiH3It RresiuSIt
Of Missouri carrying the proxy OF
Secretary of Commerce ana LABOR
Charles Nagel, was among tnoSe "io
conferred with the southern commit
teeman. ., ,.,
which limited today's opening session
TO matters of organization was the re
sult of informal conferences at Whlch
1t became apparent that Ine "oih u
organization in the national committee
1r-o,,I6 hI1f an hour or two.
The mass of contest cases confront
ing the committee involving the rights
OF more than 230 delegates to seats,
has convinced members that unusual
measures will be necessary to dispose
of them all before the national con-
vention meets June Is. The Alabama,
California and Arkansas cases We're
ready for submission to the committee
this morning. Attorneys and delegates
were prepared yesterday to submit the
cases as soon as the committee should
be ready to hear them.
In Alabama. the first state to De
called by the committee there are con-
tests by the Roosevelt representatives
for the entire list of delegat gates-at-large
AND from the First. Second, Fifth,
Sixth and Ninth congressional districts.
In Arkansas, there are contests for the
delegates at-large and in all of the
seven congressional districts in the
state except the Sixth. In the Cali
Fourth district is directed primarily
against the California secretary of
state, who refused to issue certificates
to Taft delegates who received majori-
ties in that district. His action, it is
understood, was based on the ground
that the state at large had indicated
preference for Colonel Roosevelt.
The question of whether the meetings
of the committee should be opened to
newspaper men was still unsettled to-
A r,le
tied number of newspaper men received
opposition from both Roosevelt AMI
Taft sources on the ground that it did
rot provide sufficient publicity of the
argument of the contest. Frank B.
Kellogg of Minnesota, was expected TO
offer a motion when the committee
takes the matter up to make public the
detailed vote in the committee, in each
contest case.
Rules Are Ready.
Early morning observers of the ma
tional committeeman found food for
thought in the meeting at breakfast of
Charles D. Hiiles, secretary to PreSi-
dent Tar. and Arthur 1. Vorys, nation
al committeeman from Ohio. The two
arrived CT separate trains but met in
ate con- rred with members of the
committee who had come in previously
Another arrival was Charles F.
Brooker of Connecticut, chairman of
a subcommittee on rules appointed at
the winter meeting of the national
committee. He and w. M Ward of
New Y TX and Frank B. Kellogg of
Minnesota have since drawn up a brief
code soi the governing body of the
Republicans.
ton" said Mr. Boo ker. "but / am not
at liberty to give them ont FTI,a1, 70