The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-06-27

these early Roosevelt contests before
the national committee or the nation
al convention. In practically all the
southern contests, as well as in those
from Michigan, Indiana, Colorado and /
other states, Roosevelt men voted to I
seat the Taft delegates because the
case against them was only flimsy.
Out of over 230 contests, at the last
the Roosevelt inner circle was stand
ing out for only seventy-two, virtually
|confessing that all the rest were with
out merit 1t was obvious that the
seventy-two we're insisted on because
they were needed to give Roosevelt
control Of the convention or to fur
ni5h the basis for claim that the
convention was fraudulently organ
lied. Is it not fair presumption
that If three of every, four contests
were admitted to be weak, the remain
| ing one would carry no strong. pre-
sumption of strength?
| AS to the actual merits Of the con-
tests remaining in dispute at the close
Of the convention, no one can speak
with accurate information at this
distance There Is this to be said in
favor OF the Taft delegates who we're
admitted to the convention: Their
claims were first approved by the
/, four-year-old national committee, rep
PRESENTING every state and territory.
They were then approved by a newly
appointed credentials committee, made
=Iup Of members appointed by state del
legations fresh from the voters OF
EVERY state. Finally they were ap-
i proved by majority of the LOIS
newly elected delegates who made up
4 the convention itself. OF the LOTS
delegates more than 1000 were uncon-
TESTED. In the light of this record why
i should anyone take the word of Theo-
i dore Roosevelt or the Chicago Tribune
in contradiction of the judgment of
two judicial tribunals that had heard
, all the evidence, and huge body OF
over 900 representative Republicans
whose members had heard all the facts
discussed and debated at close range
} All the Roosevelt contentious re-
: gardipg the organization of the con-
lvention were irregular, unprecedented
: and anarchistic The convention was
( organized under rules and regulations
, that are indispensable to the holding
of an orderly national convention
The Roosevelt floor leaders advanced
t the principle that no contested dele
t.igate could participate in the tempo
r t,~o, oro nj of at This rrif
i ciple be established and the control OF
: every national convention must 60 no,
/ to the side that elects the most dele
g gates, but to the side that contests the
t most delegates. With each side deter
|. mined that the other should not con
0 ltrol, by filing flimsy contests. all the
t delegates on both sides must be con
$ tested, and no way left for effecting ;
t. Temporary organization.
The proceedings in the nationa
y committee, the credentials committc,
8 and the convention were conducted
n with absolute fairness and complete
t regard for the rights Of the minority
4. The contest hearings before the na
l. tional committee were open to report
h ers and written record was kept 0
n every item of testimony and ever
1t word of argument. Although the pre-
e. mature motions to exclude some o
the contested delegates on the floor Q
n the convention we're out Of order an
e could have been defeated by the chail
If mans ruling, roll call was permitte