theodore roosevelt-第60章
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the crowd and feebly begin clapping his hands。 They would then slowly and very politely take up the applause； in every case waiting for his signal。 It was almost pathetic。〃 At one time the Roosevelt scouts alleged that 〃Timothy Woodruff is wavering； with four other delegates； and will soon fall to us；〃 and told 〃of delegates flopping over； here and there。〃 A still more extraordinary piece of news came from Hooker to the effect that he had in some way intercepted a telegram 〃from Murray Crane to his nephew saying that Crane and Barnes would 'fight or ruin' and that it was now 'use any means and sacrifice the Republican Party。' Had it not been for the way he told us； I couldn't have believed such a thing possible。〃
Rumors like these were not verified at the time； and they are assuredly unverifiable now。 I repeat them merely to show how suspense and excitement were constantly fed before the Convention met。 Remembering how long ex…Senator Crane and Mr。 Barnes had had their hands on the throttle of the Republican Machine； we are not surprised at the young Rooseveltian's statement： 〃The Taft forces control anything that has to do with machinery； but all the feeling is for Roosevelt； and the Congress Hotel； at any rate； favors the 'Big Noise；' as you will sometimes hear him called in the lobbies or in the streets。〃 Apparently； stump speeches were made at any moment； and without provocation； in any hall； room； or lobby of the hotel； by any one who felt the spirit move him； and； lest silence should settle down and soothe the jaded nerves； a band would strike up unexpectedly。 The marching to and fro of unrestrained gangs； shouting； 〃We…want…Teddy！〃 completed the pandemonium。
Monday came。 The young scouts were as busy as ever in following the trails which led to Taft activities。 The news they had to tell was always very cheering。 They found little enthusiasm among the President's supporters。 They heard； from the most trustworthy sources； that this or that Taft leader or delegation was coming over。 And； in truth； the Taft body probably did not let off a tenth of the noise which their opponents indulged in。 The shallows murmur； but the deeps are dumb； does not exactly apply to the two opposing hosts。 The Taft men resorted very little to shouting； because they knew that if they were to win at all it must be by other means。 The Rooseveltians； on the other hand； really felt a compelling surge of enthusiasm which they must uncork。
Meanwhile Colonel Roosevelt and his lieutenants knew that the enemy was perfecting his plan to defeat them。 On Monday evening his zealots packed the Auditorium and he poured himself out to them in one of his torrential speeches calculated to rouse the passions rather than the minds of his hearers。 But it fitly symbolized the situation。 He； the daunt less leader； stood there； the soul of sincerity and courage； impressing upon them all that they were engaged in a most solemn cause and defying the opposition as if it were a legion of evil spirits。 His closing words〃 We stand at Armageddon and we battle for the Lord〃summed it all up so completely that the audience burst into a roar of approval； and never doubted that he spoke the truth。
Tuesday at noon； a crowd of fifteen thousand persons； delegates and visitors； packed the vast Convention Hall of the Coliseum。 Mr。 Victor Rosewater； of Nebraska； presided at the opening。 As it was known that the Republican National Committee intended to place on the temporary roll of delegates seventy…two names of persons whose seats were contested； Governor Hadley； of Missouri； made a motion that only those delegates； whose right was not contested； should sit and vote during the preliminary proceedings。 Had he been successful； the Regulars would have lost the battle from the beginning。 But he was ruled out of order on the ground that the only business before the Convention was the election of a Temporary Chairman。 This took place； and Senator Root； from New York； was elected by 558 votes； McGovern； the Roosevelt candidate； received 501 votes； there were 14 scattering； and 5 persons did not vote。 Senator Root； therefore； won his election by 38 votes over the combined opposition； but his plurality was secured by the votes of the 72 whose seats were contested。
During the three following days the Roosevelt men fought desperately to secure what they believed to be justice。 They challenged every delegate； they demanded a roll…call on the slightest excuse； they deluged the Regulars with alternate showers of sarcasm and anger。 But it availed them nothing。 They soon perceived that victory lay with the Republican National Committee； which had the organization of the Convention and the framing of the rules of procedure。 The Taft people； the Regulars； controlled the National Committee； and they knew that the rules would do the rest； especially since； the Chairman of the Convention； Senator Root； was the interpreter of the rules。
At no other National Convention in American history did a Chairman keep his head and his temper so admirably as did Mr。 Root on this occasion。 His intellect； burning with a cold； white light；illumined every point； but betrayed no heat of passion。 He applied the rules as impartially as if they were theorems of algebra。 Time after time the Rooseveltians protested against the holders of contested seats to vote； but he was unmoved because the rule prescribed that the person had a right to vote。 When the contests were taken up； the Taft men always won； the Roosevelt men always lost。 The Machine went as if by clock…work or like the guillotine。 More than once some Rooseveltian leader； like Governor Hadley； stung by a particularly shocking display of overbearing injustice； taunted the majority with shouts of 〃Robbers〃 and 〃Theft。〃 Roars of passion swept through the hall。 The derision of the minority was countered by the majority with equal vigor； but the majority did not always feel； in spite of its truculent manner； confident of the outcome。
By what now seems shameless theft； the Credentials Committee approved the seating of two Taft delegates from California； in spite of the fact that the proper officials of that State had certified that its twenty…six delegates were all for Roosevelt； and had been elected by a majority of 76；000 votes。 Chairman Root put the question to the Convention； however； and those two discredited delegates were admitted for Taft by a vote of 542 to 529。 This indicates how close the Convention then stood； when a change of seven votes would have given Roosevelt a majority of one and have added to his list the two California delegates who were counted out。 Had such a change taken place； those who watched the Convention believed there would have been a 〃landslide〃 to Roosevelt。 But the Republican Committee's sorely tested rules held。 After that； the Rooseveltians saw no gleam of hope。
On Saturday； June 22d； the list of delegates to the Convention having been drawn up as the Republican Machine intended； Mr。 Taft was nominated by a vote of 561； Roosevelt received 107； La Follette 41； Cummins 17； Hughes 2； 344 delegates did not vote。 The last were all Roosevelt men； but they had been requested by Roosevelt to refuse to vote。 Through Mr。 Henry J。 Allen； of Kansas； he sent this message：
'The Convention has now declined to purge the roll of the fraudulent delegates placed thereon by the defunct National Committee； and the majority which thus endorsed fraud was made a majority only because it included the fraudulent delegates themselves； who all sat as judges on one another's cases。 If these fraudulent votes had not thus been cast and counted the Convention would have been purged of their presence。 This action makes the Convention in no proper sense any longer a Republican Convention representing the real Republican Party。 Therefore； I hope the men elected as Roosevelt delegates will now decline to vote on any matter before the Convention。 I do not release any delegate from his honorable obligation to vote for me if he votes at all； but under the actual conditions I hope that he will not vote at all。 The Convention as now composed has no claim to represent the voters of the Republican Party。 It represents nothing but successful fraud in overriding t
