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Show DECLINE TO MEJONTEST la follclie Faction to Appeal to People. Wisconsin Row to Be Fought Out at the Polls in November. Governor's Crowd' Insult Members of Credentials Committee, Then Retire Re-tire From the Rooms. i CHICAGO. June 21. The La Fol-lettb Fol-lettb faction of the Wisconsin Republicans Re-publicans declined to make a contest con-test before the credentials' committee com-mittee this afternoon, declaring that It refused to do so on the grourVj that the committee on credentials was not an unprejudiced body, and making the flat statement that they understood that some members of tho committee had been "approached." What thc nature of the "approach" might be, or by whom made; the La Follette people declined de-clined to state. They entered into no particulars, simply making the broad and general charge of an "approach," and withdrew. What La Follette Maintains. The La Follette people were represented repre-sented by W. G. Conners of Marshfleld, Wis., Gilbert B. Roe of New York, and Henry F, Cochema of Now York, Tho burden of proof was on the contestants and they opened nnd closed their case with a single statement by Mr. Roe, who said; "We do not consider this an unprejudiced unpreju-diced committee. We underfitand that several members of this committee have been approached, and we therefore decline de-cline to present our case, preferring to submit It to the people of Wisconsin at thc election next November, r will file with thc committee this paper contain- lng tho statement I have Just made." Hand Up Paper, Then Retire. A dead silence, followed the speech of Mr. Roe. Some members of the committee com-mittee scowled at him and others smiled sarcastically, but not one word was said In reply. Mr. Roe advanced to the. clerk's desk, handed up his paper, and' then, hi eo'mpnny with Mr. Conners Con-ners and Mr. Cochems, left the committee commit-tee room. The La.Folletto people declined to make any statement as they left the committee room, but marched straight acroris the' anteroom, down the stairway stair-way and left. the building. -The "stalwart"-faction, upon leaving the committee room, was handed -tho statement turned in by . Mr. Roe and retired-to the office of" the sergeant-at-arms to formulate a reply Senator Quarles said:' "They were simply afraid to meet us on the floor of the convention or before the committee on credentials. Then they Insulted every ev-ery member of the National committee and every member of. the credentials' committee and went away." Spooner Men Heard. Aroused by the charges contained In the statement of the La Follette faction, fac-tion, the credentials committee readily granted a request of the Spooner men that they be given a hearing for tho purpose of clearing themselves of tho charges made by their opponents. Thc committee decided to make the Wisconsin Wiscon-sin matter a special order of business and called on the "stalwarts." After listening to arguments by counsel for the "stalwarts" for an hour and a half, the chairman, by direction of thc com-xnlttee, com-xnlttee, appointed this sub-commltteo to make a thorough examination of all the papers in thc case forthwith, and report to the full committee as soon as practicable: Gov. Durbln of Indianapolis, Indianap-olis, chairman; R, C. Bentqn of Massachusetts Massa-chusetts and J. J. Gardner'of New Jersey. Jer-sey. Investigation Begins. The sub-committee promptly withdrew with-drew and began its investigation. The report will hardly be ready before tho early morning hours, but as there are yet a number of cases to bo disposed of, the full committee will doubtless be in session at that time. Senator Spooner and Senator Quarles and their followers apparently are satlslled with the action of the committee. Many members of the credentials committee have expressed themselves as Indignant at the Imputations which they say wore cast upon the entire committee by the statement filed by the La Follette faction. Gov. La Follette left the city at 6 o'clock for Milwaukee, declining before he went to make a .statement of any-kind. |