Fergus County Democrat., 1916-06-29


SO to to lndorse c. e. Hughes for
F'resident-Nne Members of the
Committee Declined to Vote on the
Ground That the Committee Was Ex-
ceeding Its Power in Taking the
sives' Meeting.
CHICAO, June 2G.-By vote of 30
to 6, with 9 members declining to vote,
the national committee Of the progress
sive party today, at the end of a
stormy session. indorsed Charles E.
Hughes for president and the bull
moose party practically went out OF
existence as a national political or
ganizatiOn.
The fight in the committee to in.
dorse Hughes was led by George w.
Perkins of New York. James r. Gar
field Of Ohio and Chester II. RoWell
OF California.
The radical element in the commit
tee, represented by Mathew Hale Of
Massachusetts, cambridge Colby OF
New York, Henry II. Cochems Of Wis.
consin and John M. Parker of Louisi.
ana, vigorously protested against the
Endorsement Of any candidate for pres
ident, and fought the majority at ev-
cry step OF the proceedings. The min
ority's first move was to insist on an
open meeting of the committee, which
it won after a number of the com
mitteemen, led by John M. Parker Of
Louisiana, bolted the meeting.
After Secretary Oscar King Davis
read Colonel Theodore Roosevelts let
ter, in which he finally declined the
progressive presidential nomination
and urged that Charles +. Hughes be
supported in order to defeat President
Wilson, the committee voted to accept
the colonel's declination and took a
recess for luncheon.
At the beginning of the afternoon
session, Chairman Mathew Hale Of
Massachusetts, ruled that the next or
der of business was to fill the vacancy
on the ticket caused by refusal Of
Colonel Roosevelt to run.
Bainbrdge Colby of New York pre-
sented the name of Victor Murdock
of Kansas, chairman of the national
committee, as the party's candidate for
president. This led to a clash between
Raymond Robins of Illinois and Mr..
Colby, in which the lie was passed.
Mr.. Robins said Mr.. Murdoch had told
him he would not accept the presi-
Dental nomination, and the PROPOSE
tion to run a third party ticket was
defeated, after spirited debate, by
vote of 81 to Is. James r. Garfield
of Ohio then introduced a resolution
indorsing Hughes for president and di.
recting the executive committee of
the progressive party to cooperate
with the republicans in the campaign.
Harry f. Cochems of Wisconsin held
that the committee had no authority
to indorse any candidate and that its
power was limited to the filling of the
vacancy on the ticket caused by re-
fusal of Colonel Roosevelt to run.
Raymond Robins opposed making
any Endorsement and indicated that he
would support President Wilson if the
progressives did not put ticket in
the field. Mr.. cochems said he ex
pected to vote for Hughes, but did
: not want the committee to take any
. action. He declared that the progres
sives should be permitted to go to any
party they desired. cambridge Colby
, argued it would be a mistake to at
tempt to deliver the progressive vote
to any candidate and that the method
, used might defeat the very object OF
the action.
John M. Parker declared many OF
$ he prOgressives We're former demo
| Gratis and if the party was not to put
up national ticket they should be per
{ mitted to select their own candidate
, for president. He intimated that ht
might vote for President Wilson.
| While the debate was at it's height
Clarence Strouse read a resolution
said to have been passed by the dele
gates from Virginia to the progressive
:, national convention, opposing the in
dorsement Of any other than a pro
gressive for president and challenged
the right of James r. Garfield to vote
for Hughes under the proxy he hell
of the national committeeman from
Virginia. Mr.. Garfield said he hat
never heard of the action and finally
5 declined to be guided by it.
S The following states voted for thu
;. Endorsement of Huhges on the rol
all. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Cal
5 ifornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Distric
. of Columbia Georgia, Illinois, Indiana
: Iowa Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mary
:, land Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska
. Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jer
, sey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio
: Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota
Texas. Vermont Virginia, Wyoming
; and Hawaii.
I
MONTANA ORDERED TO MOVE.
> HELENA, June 2S.-Orders from
h the war department to start the Sec