The Sentinel=record., 1912-05-02
SITUATION
 IS MUDDLED
PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY SlTUA- TON ONE WHICH VExES
 WITS OF THE LEADERS
State Expressed Choice for Taft But Roosevelt Got the Delegates
 Democratic Situation is
 Also Badly Mixed. ky

1 Boston, Mass, May 1.-The refusal of the republican delegates at large to accept Colonel Roosevelt's oecislon today that they should vote for Presi- dent Taft at the Chicago convention, although elected as Roosevelt deic- gates has further complicated the situation arising from the state pri- maries yesterday. The situation Is
 acknowledged by party leaders of both sides to be without parallel in the political history of the common wealth.
 Although the republicans of the state selected Taft as their candidate for renomination by majority of S,605 over Colonel Roosevelt on tne preference ballot, at the same time they elected, by a decisive vote, the entire slate of eight delegates at large pledged to the former president. Colonel Roosevelt got ten more dele- gates in the district elections ani President Taft carried nine districts, so Taft and Roosevelt each have eighteen delegates from the state to the national convention.
 A somewhat similar situation was created on the democrat ballot. Speaker Champ Clark who had no pledged delegates on the ticket woa a ? to 1 victory over Governor Wilson in the presidential preference contest.
 At :he same time delegates at large pledged to Governor Foss of Massa- chusetts, were elected to attend tfs Baltimore convention, though t. the name of Governor Floss did not appear in the presidential preference column
 Roosevelt men have announced their intention of asking recount m the eight district, while the Taft men will do likewise in the ninth owlng co the closeness of the vote.
 In his request to the delegates at large. Colonel Roosevelt declared 4 to be his wish to abide by the will Of the people, and that therefore the delegates although elected as pledged to him should vote for Mir. Taft who had received the presidential prefer ence vote. One by one the delegates, as they were heard from today how ever, protested that under no cireum stances would they cast their ballots other than as they had been pledged.
 Charles S. Baxter, who heads the delegation, said he had always been Roosevelt man, was elected as a Roosevelt man and expected to con tinue Roosevelt supporter. Arthur L. Mason and George w Coleman, declared they would absolutely re- fuse to abide by any such request"
 James P. Magenis took the position that he had been elected as a Roos,- welt delegate and he "could see no way of eyading the direction" The remaining delegates expressed them selves similarly.
 Both the Roosevelt and Taft head. quarters managers remained silent tonight on the announcement of Colonel Roosevelt.
 X contest with the managers cf the Taft campaign promise to carry to the very doors of the National convention if necessary, is threaten ed as result of the independent lcandidacy of Frank Sieberlich of Boston Mir Sieberlich was not on the regular slate of Taft delegates, but had his name entered on the ballot as an independent pledged to | Taft. The name was placed immedi- ately above the slate of eight del g. gates at large, also pledged to Presi. dent Taftt, so that many voters. Ioi- lowing down the column crossed the name of Sieberlich as we'll as the eight others pledged to Taft, thus marking nine names. On the ground that this marking invalidated the bal lot, hundreds of votes were thrown out, the number running as high IS 300 to 400. 1t is stated, in New Bed ford, Gloucester and Lynn, Taft managers claim the loss to the Taft ballot was so heavy from this cause that the president would have won the entire list of eight delegates at large had the full vote been counted besides securing delegates in some oi the more closely contested districts lThey contend that, inasmuch as the