The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 80, July 1976 - April, 1977 Page: 43
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Disputed Delegates in z912
"returns" were often simply partisan reports of hectic meetings in crowded
halls amid great confusion. In other cases there was a comic aspect. De-
scribing the Menard County convention, a local paper said: "The Republi-
can convention met on the sidewalk Saturday and threatened to be a hot
encounter, but the Taft follower was called to the telephone and during
his absence the other Republican instructed for Roosevelt.""24
By this time both sides understood that the outcome of the district con-
ventions would determine the makeup of three-quarters of the delegation.
Lyon wrote potential delegates to these meetings that the state had "gone
for Roosevelt overwhelmingly," and accused MacGregor of creating con-
tests to bring Texas "in odium before the National Committee." Mac-
Gregor told reporters: "I expect to go to the National Convention with
not less than ten districts for President Taft and there will probably be
more than that for him." Whatever the motives of the opposing sides, the
district conventions insured that the Texas delegation would receive ex-
tensive attention from the national committee. The Roosevelt leaders re-
ported that they expected to hold thirty-six of the forty delegates; the Taft
men claimed that twenty-seven of the thirty-two district votes were theirs.25
The Republican state convention on May 28 was the last step in the
process of choosing the delegation. MacGregor and his allies had long
recognized that Lyon could control this gathering, and their primary
tactical decision was whether to attend and bolt, to compel Lyon to bolt,
or to hold a separate convention altogether. By May 20, Kealing told Hilles
that "there will be two State conventions with two sets of delegates." This
decision was confirmed the day before the convention when the party's
executive committee seated contested Roosevelt delegates over the protests
of Taft men. "State Executive Committee used steam roller," MacGregor
reported, and he asserted: "Eight Taft delegates entitled to seats. Our
people delighted." The next day Roosevelt Republicans and Taft Republi-
cans met in separate halls in quiet conventions and chose opposing slates
of at-large delegates. Each side put the situation in a predictable light. "The
to Harper, May 9, 1912, Roosevelt Papers; Hunt to McKinley, May Io, 1912, Mc-
Kinley Papers; San Antonio Express, May 7, 1912 (quotation).
24Menard Messenger, quoted in Fort Worth Record, May 13, 1912. For the various
newspaper analyses, see also San Antonio Express, May 9, 1912; Dallas Morning News,
May 9, o10, 1912; Fort Worth Record, May 9, 1o, 1912.
25Reily to Harper, May 18, 1912, Roosevelt Papers; Lyon to "Dear Sir," May 14,
1912 (first and second quotations), Kealing to Hilles, May 20, I912, Hilles Papers;
San Antonio Express, May 9, 1912 (third quotation). See also Lyon to Dixon, May 13,
1912, National Roosevelt Committee Press Release, May 13, 1912, Garfield Papers,
Box 158.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 80, July 1976 - April, 1977, periodical, 1976/1977; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101204/m1/61/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.