The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-06
Vain ATTEMPTS


not, previously announced his attitude.
Those opposed to the justice char
acterized his speech as 'only a list of |
The practical politicians |
almost unanimously held to the view |
that the speech was without signifi- |
canoe in the present situation. They |
said it was the sort of a speech ex- |
pected from scholarly man on such |
an occasion and that it meant neither |
one thing nor another
Nevertheless it furnished the subject |
for a great deal of discussion, both
ways among the delegates and there |
were evidences that it would continue
to be topic of interest.
Watch Moosers.
Almost overshadowing the maneuv-
ering among the Republicans today is
the question of what the Progressive
tomorrow. The Republican leaders
regard it as charged with possibilities
of the most potent sort.
On every hand they expect a tre-
mendouS demonstration for Colonel
Roosevelt despite efforts in some quar-
ters to hold back a nomination until
the Republicans have indicated their
purpose and there has been oppor-1
tunity for further conferences between
the two factions.
Plan Worked Out.
The movement for a delay in the
Progressive convention, however has
been met by a decision of the leaders
to have immediate action or at least
not later than Thursday. Victor Muir
clock. Clifford Pinchot, Henry ]. Allen
of Kansas; Hiram johnson and about
thirty others at a conference late last
night came to a decision that the con-
vent1on should nominate Colonel
Roosevelt as soon as nominations
could be reached in the regular order
OF business and that nothing less than
request for delay from Colonel
Roosevelt himself should interfere
with that plan. They areed that if
their program went through and the
colonel was nominated at once, Gov
ernor johnson would take the second
place, as he did four years ago. All of
this is contingent, however, upon fail
ure of the leaders of both parties to
agree upon a compromise candidate.
The movement for the immediate
nomination of Co1onl Roosevelt began
to show itself early today.
Shouting for T. r.
The Progressives opened head
quarters in the Florentine room of the
Congress hotel, from which the Roose-
welt fight was directed four years ago,
and before the delegates were at
breakfast Roosevelt boosters were
abroad, cheering, shouting and STIR
ring up demonstrations for the colo
mel This was part of the plan ma
tured at recent conference. All the
Progressive. leaders who. are striving
for harmony realized the difficulty of
holding the Roosevelt enthusiasts
from nomination beyond Thursday.
Most of the Progressive delegates
were elected as Roosevelt men and
they are chatting under restraint i'm
posed by those who are placing the
demand for harmony above the inter-
| ests of their candidate. Many confer
| ences have been held between small
groups representing both regular Re
publcans and ProgreSsives and prac-
tically all the leaders of both factions
| have at one time or. another partici-
pated in these exchanges of views.
At the outset the regular Republi-
cans were inclined to offer the entire
| list of candidates now in the field as
proof that they are not trying to force
any particular man upon the Progress
sives and to point out that the Pro-
gressives on the other hand have but
| one candidate-Colonel Roosevelt
and that harmony is far off until the
| ProgreSsiveS show willingness to
| consider other names.
The suggestion of Senator Lodge
which came last night was believed
| to have been the result of this broad
criticism of the Progressive course.
| Republican leaders were disposed
not to take the Lodge suggestion seri-
ously. His mention as a compromise
candidate only added to their skepti-
cism concerning the sincerity of pur-
pose of the ProgreSSiveS in proposing
names other than Colonel Roosevelt.
1t led to a disclosure that a confer
ence Sunday night between a number
of prominent Ppogressives and Repub:
licans, the former offered the name OF
Senator La Toilette, but withdrew il
when the Republicans charged them
with insincerity and asserted that the
Progressives knew there was no pos
sibility of Colonel Roosevelt acceptins
La Toilette or any agreement upor
him.
Great Speech, Says Hitchcock.
The Progressives had more ito say
today about Justice Hughess speech
than did the Hughes men themselves
Hughes's speech said Frank H
Hitchcock. lit speaks for itself; it il
a fine expression of patriotism. If
were the manager of a candidate
campaign I might have much to say
Progressive leaders, after CAREFUL,
studying the speech, profeSsed to at
tach little significance to it as affect
: ing the political fortunes of Colone
Roosevelt 1t was a nice flag speech
eminently proper for delivery before ;
girls seminary, but does not furthe
outline Mr.. Hughess position on tn
vital issues before these conventions
said Chester Rowell, California Pro
gressive.
Chairman Murdoch of the Progress
: sive national committee endorsed MI
l Rowell's sentiments The meetin,
late today of the Progressive nationa
4 committee with the state chairme
!, and chairmen of state delegations wa
, expected to touch further the plan a
. temporarily holding up nominations i
9 the Progressive convention 1t wa
T explained as a meeting to ''1et the out
f siders know what the insiders know
and propose George W. Perkin
i will address the meeting and explai
his conferences with Republican lead
r ers. Caucuses of Progressive stat
delegation will be held this evening S
that every delegate may be advise
g just what the leaders are considering.
Chairman Murdoch expressed tn
: belief today that action upon nomina
= lions by the Progressives might b
: I1r-it h hal ri