The Detroit times., 1912-06-13

az the Roosevelt Maricopa delegates
were clearly entitled 10 be seated.
Even II IL is claimed that the commit
tee should have allowed proxies, the
only result OF their action, even II a
technical error, was TO order public
primaries, and thereby TO give the
people an opportunity TO express
their presidential preference. The
/ Roosevelt people fought for popular
primaries. and the Taft people fought
TO prevent them"
Speaking for the six Taft delegates
at-large, Samuel ]. Elder, OF Boston.
and Robert E. Morrison. argued for
their regularity, maintaining that the
| Taft men had been elected by the
regular state convention.
| There were SO delegates In the
state convention. According TO Elder
and Morrison. the Taft followers num-
bered 6S. These 6s, they said, pro-
ceeded TO elect Taft delegates large
after the Roosevelt following had
Withdrawn TO hold convention of
I their own.
! In only two OF the IL counties OF
the state were delegates to the state
! convention elected by direct pri-
maries. In the other IL counties the
delegates we're chosen by the county
executive committees.
In the fourth California district the
Taft men claimed they carried their
district at the primaries and also
that the district was carried by the
Taft men on the preferential vote.
For the Taft men. F. c. Bryan. or
Akron. law partner OF Charles Dick,
made the argument. He said;
The call for the Republican nation
/ al convention contains the following
clause: Provided that delegates and
lalternates both from the state at
large. and from each congressional
district may be elected in conformity
with the laws OF the states in which
the election occurs. II the state COM
mittee or any such congressional
committee so directs.
"The section closed with the fol-
| lowing important provision 10 which
| attention is asked: But provided
| further. that in no state shall an
election be so presented as 10 pre-
vent the delegates from any con-
! gressional district, and their alter
| mates being selected by the Republi-
[
I'm spite OF the fact that the Taft
| ticket received more votes In the
| fourth district than the Roosevelt
ticket, the secretary Of state ignored
! the rule OF the Republican national
| committee. recognizing the right or
congressional districts 10 be repre-
sented by their own delegates, and
| issued certificates to election TO the
4 laIa tkaus fx-fn a
highest number OF votes Ia the state
at large.
The Republican electors in the
! fourth California district having cast
a majority Of their votes in favor OF
the Taft delegates, the Tai. delegates
are entitled TO seats in the national
convention"
Francis J. Heney was the attorney
of record for the Roosevelt forces, as
! sisted by Philip Bancroft, and he was
most bitter in his handling OF the
Taft claims, which he said were
ridiculous and designed to rob the
people OF popular representation. 10
argue this case, he surrendered me
proxy under which he appeared be-
fore the committee, to Its righuul
holder, Committeeman Thomas Tnor-
son, of South Dakota.
| Behind the whole thing was the
plan of certain OF the Taft forces TO
invalidate the election OF the district
delegates in California and other
states where the state at large voted
for district delegates. Today pro-
ceedings were TO lay the foundation
for such an attack by the Taft forces
lon the California, Oregon and South
Dakota delegations before the conven-
ton committee on credentials.
Senator Penrose demanded whether
Bryan knew that the legislature OF
California. "fiagrantly and deliberate
ly violated the law by forcing through