New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-07
IN A HOPELESS MINORITY
Only Vote Taken Shows They
Cannot Count on the Support
of More than 15 of It's
So Members.
ADMIT STRONG TAFT SENTIMENT
Presidents Decision to Force the Root
Issue and the Exposure of the Fic-
titious Character Of Roosevelt
Claims Factors in Increas-
ing His Strength.

From stan Correspondent Of The Tribure)
Chicago, June Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt suffered his first defeat In the
convention city to-day, and thus accel-
Grated the wave Of Taft sentiment which
set in here yesterday.
The widely advertised purpose Of R. 3.
Howell national committeeman-elect
from Nebraska to demand his seat in
the national committee before the hear
ing of the contests, which Mr.. Howell
had declared. on the advice of Mr..
Roosevelt failed to materialiZe. Mr..
Howell was guided by Mr.. Roosevelt's
own political managers, who told the
aspiring Nebraskan that his claim TO A
seat at this time was far too fiimsy 10
warrant the attempt. that II was certain
to be rejected by an almost unanimous
vote of the committee and that its re-
lection would be heralded abroad as
signal defeat for Mr.. Roosevelt. Mr..
Howell was told that the colonel had no
apprecia tion of the binding force Of the
party laws and precedents. and that this
was an instance where discretion was
the better part of valor. Under the cir
cumstances he decided not to submit his
contention.
When the Republican National Com
mittee met at o'clock this afternoon it
promptly elected its acting chairman,
Victor Rosewater, of Nebraska, chair
man, to succeed the late John Hill, of
Maine, and then took up the que lion Of
admitting representatives of the press to
it's proceedings. This was argued pro
and con, all the members being favorable
to the general proposition, but some Of
them contending that 1t would be irnpos-
sible to admit the hundred or more cor
| respondents who are here. 1t was con-
tended that to do so the committee would
have to hold it's S. ssions in other quar-
ters, and that every purpose would be
served by admitting only the representa-
| tives of the five press associations, ver-
batim reports of the proceedings to be
furnished to all OF. newspaper men as
rapidly as the official stenographers
could transcribe their notes.
Frank B. kellogg, Of Minnesota, made
the motion that all newspaper men be
admitted 1t was defeated by vote Of
13 to 80, those voting for IL being
Messrs. Borah, who cast two votes. one
for Idaho and the other for California,
as he holds the proxy of George A.
Knight: du Pont, of Delaware:
O'Laughlin who holds the proxy OF Sid
ney Bieber, of the District of Column
bia; Burnam, of Kentucky; Wight, Of
Louisiana; Kellogg, of Minnesota:
Ward, of New York; Capers, of South
Carolina; Thorson, of South Dakota;
Lyon, of Texas; Loose. of Utah. and
Rogers, of Wisconsin.
Not on fractional Lines.
An effort was made by the Roosevelt
managers TO create the impression that
this lineup was strictly along Taft
Roosevelt lines. 1t was not. however. as
NJ. c. Monday, national committeeman
from Tennessee, who is an avowed
Roosevelt supporter, voted with the ma
jority.
motion. the secretary Of the COMMITTEES
was authorized to employ force of
expert stenographers to prepare and
furnish to the members Of the press
other than representatives of the press
associations verbatim copies of the pro-
ceedings. 1t is estimated by Secretary
Haywood that the stenographic reports
will reach members of the press from
thirty to forty minutes after the act
ual proceedings.
Senator Borah moved that the rules Of
the committee be amended 10 require
bers, instead of at the demand OF
twenty, but his motion was defeated by
viva voce vote.
The provision admitting members Of
the press associations and furnishing
copies to the newspaper men and an
other providing that the periods allowed
for the hearings of contests might be
extended on a vote Of a majority of the
committee we're the only changes made
in the standing rules. The committee
adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning, when the first contests will be
heard.
There Is an unmistakable trend of sen.
timent toward President Taft. This 10
admitted by the Roosevelt supporters,
who contend that it is merely transient
and will be followed by a flow of senti-
ment in the opposite direction. That iA
of course, quite possible, and the, tide
may ebb and flow several times before
the national convention meets. An anal
ysis of the situation shows. however.
that the present wave has pretty SUBJ
stantial foundations
Foremost should be placed the now OBJ
yiously fictitious claims Of Mr. Roosevelt
and his managers. Senator Dixon Is
being constantly called on to demon
strate the correctness Of the claims he
has been putting forth. and he can do
nothing but crate vehemently about
.the arsenic bottle programme which
he now maintains the national commit
tee purposes to administer to the Roose-
hnfh atAn<N