Evening journal., 1912-06-12
FIGHT FOR
CONTROL OF
CONVENTION
Indications Point TO SCont
Majority for the PreSi-
DENTS Friends
ROOSEVELT MEN
HOPE TO WIN OUT
BY The United Press.

II
CHICAGO. June 12.-Control OF the
Temporary organization of the Repub-
Eican National Convention will mean.
Econtrol of the convention with every
[thing that body will do. For the first
Etime since the strenuous battle be-
tween the Taft and Roosevelt forces
}began this was brought home to the
Roosevelt leaders today. Where many
Sof them had been advocating drop
5ping the fight on United States Sen
2ator Elihu Root, the choice of the Taft
tpeople for temporary chairman, they
%now realize that if Root is seated the
report of the committee on credentials
zwill be the report OF the National
fCommittee and this would mean the
7end of the hope of Roosevelt's nomi-
knation. So today the Taft and Roose-
welt forces temporarily abandoned the
attempt to make votes for their can
2didates in the efforts TO round up IN
& zdividual delegates for the temporary
Organization plan.
The outcome is in the balance. A
zcareful canvas seems to indicate a
*soant majority on the Taft side but
Il is so small as TO be practically neg
Eligible. In fact today, an exact dupli-
Acation Of conditions as they prevail
I'D just prior to the assembling of the
Republican State Convention I'm Ohio
&rxists here.
Both sides think they have control
khnd the final outcome will depend on
*who has the better generals. Although
*hey have abandoned hope Of secur-
Sing any concessions from the Taft
<forces who are in control Of the Ma
n tional Committee, the Roosevelt men
s sbre preparing for a final stand in the
Hcommittee Saturday night. At the
ime the work of the committee will
#naye been completed and " will have
Nbefore IL the temporary roll completed
Batter the steam roller" as the
& Roosevelt men like 10 characterize
#ihe opposition, has been laid aside
2bnd engineers New. Crane, Penrose,
SNulvane and Stevenson, have quit
&Vork.
The present plan is for the Roose-
Melt men on the committee, through
.lBorah. 90 move that only the uncon-
n ested delegates, whose names are on
81 he roll shall be permitted 10 vote on
Hquestions, pending the confirmation
&of the right to seats in the conyen-
s ion by the convention itself of the
I>men who are given seats after contest
&hearings.
This will be opposed and finally de-
Heated by the Taft men, but they will
Ebe forced to- go on record on the mat
and the Roosevelt leaders hope
81 o impress on the people at large that
II there has actually been "smothering
|zof regularly elected delegates to the
Convention.
This lsat stand will, if nothing un-
&foreseen comes up TO prevent it, be
1.-THE most bitter to date, presaging
something of what may be expected
when the real conflict commences on
The floor of the convention. The
Roosevelt men privately admit that
Nthey probably cannot win 1t, but they
#say that in making this final tight
.1they will have prepared a record that
The convention itself must investigate
#The Roosevelt leaders we're supremely
Hconfdent today that they would over
Nturn the work of the committee In
4the convention. They admitted today
&that their work of the past ten days
Nin trying to impress some of the COM
# mitteemen from states where the d.
rect primary plan is in effect, seems
Encouraging although they Will not De
liable 10 muster votes enough TO cap
iure the committee. But they say the
Taft majority will be cut down on the
'6nal vote and that then the delegates
can be expected to see a great light