The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-27
C. O.P. CONTESTS
MAY UPSET The
EARLY FORECAST
Wood Leads List in Number of
Pledged Votes.
But Has Only Third Enough to
Win Nomination.
n
ARE 145 CONTESTED SEATS
Sixty-FOur Fractional Votes To
Be Contested, Too.
Decision b. National Committee
May Cause Revision of Figures.

! Chicago. May 27.-Candidates for
the Republican nomination for the
presidency opened today their final
drive to capture the 493 votes that
spell victory in the convention which
opens here one week from next Tues
day.
! The last of the sS4 delegates who
will sit in the convention were selected
yesterday when Vermont Republicans
met and chose eight delegates. Mai.
Gen. Leonard Wood, present returns
snow, will enter the convention with
more instructed votes than any other
candidate but his total of 153 is less
tnan one-thfrd of the number neces-
/ sary to win the nomination
Inc DIVISION of strength among the
large field of 'favorite sons" practi-
cally precludes any possibility of a
nomination on the first ballot Even
the most optimistic campaign mama
gers here are not claiming victory be-
lore the third ballot, and the most
conservative party leaders predict the
break will not come before the fifth or
sixth at the earliest.
Arc 145 Contested Seats.
One big factor which may upset
campaign managers predictions ia vet
to be dealt with One hundred ana
iorty-five contests have been or will
be filed. more than one-seventh of All
the seats in the convention being at
stake and the national COMMITTEES
Wnlch meets Monday to decide these
contests and prepare the temporary
roll may materially alter the prospects
OF several candidates.
The principal contests are between
supporters of Major General Wood
and Governor Frank O. Iowden sso,
ator Johnson and other Candidates are
not directly interested in these con-
tests, but may raise questions regard :
! ing primary contests in South Dakota.
New Jersey, Indiana Michigan and
other states.
II Also 81 Fractional Votes.
In addition to the 145 contests 60
surplus delegates with fractional votes
| nave Deen chosen from ten states and
the Republican national committees
rules provide that their right to the
seats shall also be contested. The
!conventton call stated that no over
sized delegations should be seated and
no seats have been provided for these
sixty -four
Senator Hiram Johnson and Senator
Howard Sutherland of West Virginia
: were the principal gamers in pri-
maries and conventions held in four
states during the past week Senator
johnson, returns indicate, will get nine
OF Oregon's ten votes and Senator
sutherland sixteen from West Vir-
ginia- The official count has not been
completed in Oregon and West Vir-
ginia. Texas Republicans split into two
factionsS each of which elected an un-
three votes
: Figures compiled here show the fol-
lowing division of the convention
Ivote: Major General Leonard Wood.
l6S; Senator Hiram Johnson. 109:
Governor Frank o. Lowden, IA; fa-
Vorite sons and uninstructed, CAS-
Harding Leads Favorite Sons.
/ In the favorite son list, Senator
Warren G. Harding has SO votes from
: Ohio; Senator Sutherland 16 from
; West Virginia; Senator Miles Poindex-
ter is expected to receive Washingtons $
IA, and Judge Pritchard of North
Carolina is expected to get II of his
5 states 22 votes.
Campaign managers here of the
three leading candidates all claim VIC
e tory IN statements issued last night.
The wood and johnson camps make
definite predictions as to their first
1 ballot vote. the supporters of the gem
erai claiming 385 votes. and those OF
the senator 236. The Lowden forces
I while processing their confidence are
not prepared to quote exact figures.
Are Preparing Hall.
Work on the convention hall IL
G progressing rapidly and Charles r.
I Hall, superintendent of the coliseum.
; has assured the convention com mmittee
: that the more than 1900 seats viii
= be in place "a hours before the con-
: vention is called to order by Chair
4 man Will H. Hays, of the national
committee. Extra balconies are being
erected to provide nearly 1000 more
J. seats than were available at any pre-
vious convention.
o The speakers platform and seats
for 1000 distinguished visitors al
= ready have been erected. In the COLI
4 scum annex offices of the convention
o committee and officers and the room
: of the national committee where the
/. contests VIII be heard next week have
4 been in readiness for some time. Ma
g tional committeeman began arriving
early this week and a majority OF the
, fifty-three members are expected 10
o. be on hand by Monday. Chairman
e Hays will arrive Sunday. A. T. Her'
; of Louisville, chairman of the conveD-
a tion committee on arrangements, ar
n rived yesterday.
n Liberal. Ksn.-Harrison Hake traded his