New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-29
TAFT DELEGATES
SEATED FAIRLY
Continued from first page.


mittee on credentials and the conven-
ton, after the fullest investigation. de-
cided that these 80 counties in which
the Republican vote was so small and
In which there was no Republican
purity. no convention, no primary, no
organization, was not the proper source
Tor proxy 10 give n vote equal To that
10 be cast by the other l46 counties in
which there was Republican organi-
cation, and in which primaries or con-
ventions were held. The two commit
tees therefore held such 80 proxies to
be illegal and not the basis Of proper
representation.
The two tribunals who heard the case
decided that they should deduct the
90 votes from the total Of 245 and give
the representation to those who con-
trolled the majority Of the remainder.
The remainder was 1872 votes, and out
Of. that the Taft men had carried 50
counties, having 80 votes. This gave
to the Taft men a clear majority in the
state convention, and with it eight del
egates-a Large.
Washington Contests.
Reciting the contests in Washington.
Mr.. Hllles states:
The contest in Washington turned On
the question whether the Taft dele
gates appointed by the county commit
tee In King County, In which Seattle is
situated, were duly elected to the con-
Vention, or whether primary, which
was subsequently held and at which
Roosevelt delegates were elected, was
properly called, so that its result Was
legal. Under the law the county COM
mittee had the power to decide whether
Il would select the delegates directly
or should call a primary. In some
counties Of the state one course WIS
pursued and in other counties the
other.
In King County a committee consist
ed Of go men, the majority Of whom
were for Taft, and that majority. act
ing through It's executive committee,
selected the Taft delegates to the state
convention. Meantime the City Coun-
ell Of Seattle had redistricted the city.
1t before had $50 precincts. Now, sub
stantially. the same territory was di-
vided UP into ISL precincts. The chair
man Of the county committee was a
Roosevelt man. He had been given au-
thority by general resolution to I'll va
cancies occurring in the committee. A
general meeting OF the committee had
been held after the City Council had
directed the redistricting Of the city,
in which it was resolved, the chairman
not dissenting, that representatives
could not be selected TO fill the 331 new
precincts until an election was held in
september. 1912. Thereafter, and in
spite OF this conclusion, the chairman
assumed the right by his appointment
10 add to the existing committee III
precinct committeeman. and with these
voting in the committee il is claimed
that n primary was ordered. There
was so much confusion I'm the meeting
that this is doubtful.
However. the fact is that the TAFT
men protested against any action by
committee so constituted on The
ground that the chairman had no au-
thority To appoint the III new commit
teemen. They refused to take part IN
the primary. and so did the Id + OIL
latte men. The newspapers reported
the number OF votes in the primary 10
he something over 1900. The Roose-
Welt committee showed by affidavit the
number 10 be 5000 out of usual total
Republican vote OF 5000. The action
NJ the chairman OF the committee n
attempting 10 add 13l precinct men 10
the old committee was, OF course, ne
vond his power. The resolution author
ling him 10 I'll vacancies OF course
applied only to those places whlch pc
came vacant after they had been hlled
and clearly did not apply to III new
precincts. .,,;,,.,,
II could not in the nature OF thliiSS
apDIy 20 a change from the old system
10 n complete new system or precincts
crea,ed by the City Council because i
they we're 10 be filled the entire num-
Der of 33l new precincts different rom
tho old must he filed. One system
Gould not be made into the other by
mere additional appointment Of III
Committeeman. No lawyer VII ,S say
that such action by the committee mus nus
constituted was legal Therefore the
oction which the lawful committee Ok
$40 took in electing Taft delegates VINO
made a majority in the state conye n.
tIon was the only one when couiu We
recognized as valid.