Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1912-06-17
{ By Special Leased Wire to New Mexican,

chicago, ILL.,, June 1L-ROOSeFelt
and Taft leaders, after a practically
sleepless night, today staked final
hands in their bitter struggle, with
! less than twenty-four hours before the
gavel falls at the Coliseum for the for
nal opening of the Republican nation
al convention tomorrow.
Prominent men from many states
we're subjected to conference room in
terviews Of a type known in police
circles as the third degree
i Leaders whose lives have been spent
in the game" brought into play every
artifice known to modern politics in
their almost frantic efforts TO swing
the balance to Colonel Roosevelt or
to President Taft. Men who were
Goggedly standing their ground We're
told what might happen to them, net
only this year or next, but four years
from now, unless they agreed to the
programs mapped out by the leaders.
1t was no place for the weak. Keen
| eyes and trained ears searched for the
; first signs of panic or break at any
point, and as the lines We're tightened
to the last notch, those who appeared
10 Waver even in slight degree were
subjected to a merciless fire.
! A Spectacular Figure.
Running through it all was the con-
stantly recurring fact OF the presence of
Colonel Roosevelt, himself, leading his
own fight.
1t was a question for final analysis
as the day wore on whether the Re
publican party is bigger than its con-
trolling body, the national committee,
Or bigger than any individual candi-
date.
In brief, the situation is whether
the Republican "elephant'' will re-
spond to the vigorous directions Of
either of two drivers, one ordering it
to the left, and the other commanding
it to turn to the right, or whether it
will twist its trunk about each of the
drivers in turns, and hurl them aside,
to go on its own way. There were in
dications today that the last conjin-
gency is now at all impossible
Shrewd Politics.
In this connection it became appar-
ent that the division Of delegates be-
tween Colonel Roosevelt and Presi-
dent TAFT on the question OF the NOM
ination does not hold on any other
question to come before the conyen-
tion. This was shown plainly by the
attitude of the Virginia delegation
Although practically all for the nomi-
nation of President Taft, nine of the
Virginia delegates declared they
would vote to overrule the action OF
the national committee in seating
Taft delegates over Roosevelt dele
Washington. This sentiment among
arriving delegates was seized upon
Iquickly by Colonel Roosevelt, and his
ADVISERS The Roosevelt managers
purpose to focus the fight the minute
the convention has been called to or
der, by precipiating a roll call il
which only those delegates whose
seats are undebated by Colonel Roose
welt shall vote.
The Roosevelt men expect Il
achieve this end by demanding a rol
call on the temporary Craftsmanship
Then it is planned to have Govern
or Johnson of California cast the twen
jty-siX votes for that state on th'
Iquestion. This action by GovernO
Johnson, it is expected, will be object
, ed to by the two Taft delegates from
I the fourth California district.
+ This juncture will be grapsed b.
, the Roosevelt floor leader as the on
upon which to get the "eXpurgated
vote of delegates. The floor leade
will move at once that the temporar.
roll as made up by the national com
mittee be rejected, and that a substi
tute roll including the seventy o
eighty delegates claimed by Colone
+ Roosevelt, be adopted.
In thus submitting the matter o
> the debated seats to the convention
en- bloc, none of the delegates affect
, ed by the contests could vote on tn
question and the Roosevelt men be
o lleve that such a poll would give then
the upper hand in organization.
4 Victor Rosewater of Nebraska
a chairman OF the national committee
, became the storm center of this phas
a of the fight. In his capacity as chair
q man, Mr.. Rosewater will call the cor
!. vention to order and decide whethe
!. tc entertain or refuse the motion Q
the Roosevelt men.
v Revolutionary Plan.
n The Roosevelt plan is revolutionar
! and Mr. Rosewater may insist upo
Il the report of the committee on credel
tials, which usually would not com
up for consideration before Wedne!
day.
- Mr.. Rosewater conferred with men
> bers of the national committee toda
: and it is said that the Roosevelt pla
= met with stubborn opposition.
ia Rule or Ruin.
Unless the Roosevelt leaders gt
c this vote on contests at once, it
said they plan to force the issue fu
+ ther by Immediately moving the non
ination of Colonel Roosevelt and a
ls tempting to hold convention of the
IL own within the convention hall.
II To Prevent Stampede.
Fully aware of the gravity of thes
developments, the Taft managers an
ID members of the national committe
n. favorable to the President continue
counsels to evolve methods of bloc
er ing the scheme.