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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 18, 1912)
9 ROOSEVELT SAYS HE FIGHTS AGAINST "NAKED ROBBERY "fc Colonel at Chicago Rally Declares Taft Represents "Bosses" and Condones Acts of Political Theft Committee Accused of Thwarting Will of People. THE MOBKIXG OREGOXIAN, TTTESDAT, JUTTE 18, 1912. rriCAGO, June 17. Before mon ster crowd Colonel Roosevelt to nlffht delivered his pre-convention speech at the Chicago Auditorium. He aid: Mr friends end fellow citizens: I addrei you as my fellow Republican, but I also and primarily address yon as zellow Americana fellow dtisens, for this has now become much more than an ordinary party tight. The Issue Is both simpler and larger than tnat invoivea in the personality of ut man. or than that Involved in any factional or in any ordinary party contest. We are stand ing for the great fundamental rights upon which all successful free government must be baed. We are standing for elementary decency in pontics, we are lighting for hon esty against naked robbery and where rob- ory is concerned the all-important ques tion Is not the identity of the man robbed nut me crime itself. As far as Mr. Taft and I are nsxsonally ' concerned. It little matters what the fate of either may be. But with Mr. Taft's acqui escence or by his direction, and in his Inter, est. his followers have raised an lsue which is all Important to this country. It Is not a partisan issue; it la more than a political is sue; it ia a great moral issue. Committee Methods Called Crime. If we eondone political theft, if we do not resent the kind a of wrong and injustice that Injuriously affect the whole Nation, not merely our democratic form of government, but our civilisation itself cannot endure. If the methods adopted by the National com mittee are approved by the convention, which la about to assemble, a great crime will have been committed. The triumph of such proceedings at the moment would mean the wreck of the Republican party, and If such proceedings became habitual It would mean the wreck of popular government. The actions of the Taft leaders In the National committee, taken with the active aid of Mr. Taft's private secretary and one of Mr. Taft's cabinet officers, are monstrous, and they ahould be Indignantly condemned by the moral sentiment of the whole country. Tonight we come together to protest! against a crime which strikes straight at j the heart of every principle of political de cency and honesty a crime which represents treason to the people and the usurpation of the sovereignty of the people by lrresponsl ble political bosses Inspired by the sinister inriuer.ce of moneyed privilege, we here in this hall are engaged not only In a fight for the rights of every decent Republican. but of every decent American, whatsoever bis party may be. even have passed beyond It as regards elec tions. But on the committee and associ ated with the men who assume to be re spectable there are certain representatives of Mr. Taft whose presence gives us cause to wonder whether there are not far worse Influences behind the action of the commit tee than any at whictf I have guessed. Lindsey Quoted on Stevenson. Mr. Stevenson, of Colorado, has appeared on the committee, now holding the proxy of one of Mr. Taft's delegates, now that of an other. Judge Ben B. Lindsey, In his book. "The Beast and the Jungle," has given a very graphic account of Mr. Stevenson s po litical activities In Denver. I very greatly wish every decent man In she country, every plain, right-thinking citizen who is in doubt as to what the representatives of Mr. Taft have done on the National committee, would read this book of Judge Lindseys and let him study the part In which Judge Llod sey refers to Mr. Stevenson and then let htm think for himself just what It mans when Mr. Taft and his associates accept the help of Mr. Stevenson and Import him from his awn State of Colorado to act for other men engaged In the movement to rob the people of their right to rule themselves. Fight Is Not Sectional. And. my friends, for one thing at least. we should be profoundly grateful. We are more fortunate than our fathers In that there ! no slightest tinge of sectionalism In tne rtgnt we are now waging. The princi pies for which we stand are as vital for the South as for the North, for the. East as for the weL We make our appeal to all hon est, far-sighted and patriotic Americans, no matter wnere tney may aweii. When. In February last. I made up my mind that it was my duty to enter this fight It was after long and careful deliberation. I hsd become convinced that Mr. Taft had definitely and completely abandoned the cause of the people and had surrendered himself wholly to the biddings of the pro fessional political bosses and of the great privileged In teres te standing behind them. I had also become convinced that unless I did make the fight It could not be made at all and that Mr. Taft's nomination would corns to him without serious opposition. Day Saved for Progressives. The event has justified both my beliefs. I very earnestly ask our fellow progressives who have supported other candidates to re member that one of the cardinal principles of the doctrines which we hold In common is our duty normally, loyally and In good faith to abide by the well-thought-out and honestly expressed action of a majority. The overwhelming majority of the Republican progressives have declared for me. It has become clear beyond shadow of doubt that If 1 had not made the progressive fight it would have completely broken down and there would have been no substantial oppo sition tn th forMi Af rtlnn and at nnlit- leal crookedness. Iet those progressives who stand for principle and who are concerned with the fortunes of any particular man only as a means of securing the triumph of principle ponder these facts and refrain in this crisis from playing Into the hands of our enemies. Mr. Taft at first denied that he repre sented the bosses. . His denial was of little consequence, for his deeds belled his words. But I doubt If at present he would venture to repeat the denial. As It has become constantly more and more evident that the people are against him he hae more and more undis guised ly thrown himself Into the arms of t the bosses. Here in Chicago at this mo ment be haa never had one chance of sue- cess save what waa given him by the actions 1 of Messrs. Crane Barnes, Brooker. Penrose, I Murphy. Guggenheim, Mulvane, Smoot, New and their associates In cheating the people out of their rights. Taft Condones Committee's Acts. He was beaten so overwhelmingly by the people themselves In the states where pri maries were beld that In the last state In wh Ich he spoke. New Jersey, he permlted himself to be betrayed into the frank ad mission that he expected to be nominated because he believed the National committee would stand by him. One member of his own Cabinet, representing a state that has Just rep ud is ted him. has been working hand tn glove with the other Taft members of the National committee under the lead of Mr. Penrose, of Pennsylvania; Mr. Crane, of Massachusetts: Mr. Mulvane, or Kansas; Mr. Murphy, of New Jersey, and Mr. Scott, of West Virginia, all of whom have Just been repudiated by their own states, to steal from the people the victory wnicn tne peo ple have won. Last February, it was evi dent that Mr. Taft was the accepted repre sentative of the bosses, of the men who uphold the combination of crooked politics and crooked business which has been the chief source not only of our political, but of our social and Industrial corruption. It has now. alas, become evident that Mr. Taft is wlllina to acquiesce in and to condone and to accept the fruits of any course of action on which these men embark, even though such action represent treason, well as destruction, to the Republican party to which they nominally belong, and also treason to th- cause of the American peo ple as a whole. Some "Decent and Reputable. . Among the National committeemen who have taken part in this conspiracy there are a number of men who in the ordinary relations of life are doubtless decent and reputable. Probably these men excuse themselves to themselves for what they are now doing on the ground that they are not committing what the law recognises as a crime. It may well be doubted whether on the whole our country does not suffer more from the misdeeds of men who recognise as binding on their conscience only the ob ligations of law honesty, than It suffers from the misdeeds of actual criminals. Men like Messrs. Crane, of Massachus etts; Brooker, of Connecticut and Kegel, of Missouri, who trail befit na tneir bolder soctstes such as Messrs. Penrose, Murphy nd Mulvane. are doubtless genuinely shocked at the misconduct of a defaulting bank cashier or at the action or some smell election official who on election a ay laial fies the returns. Tet the wrong to the American people, the damage to the country, by such action as these National committeemen have taken In deliberately seeking to nullify and over throw the will of the people legitimately expressed as to their choice for President is Inilnltely greater than the wrong done Dy the tempted cashier or the bribed election official. It has to me been ootn a sao and strange thing to see men hitherto esteemed reputable take part in sucn action and to see It sustained by similar men out side. I suppose the explanation must be found tn the fact that Jn the alow but gen eral moral advance certain men lag a little behind the rate of progress of the com munity as a whole; and where their own real or fancied Interests are concerned, such men fall to recognise generally accepted standards of right and wrong until long after they have been recognised by the ma jority of their fellows. Some Still Las Behind. There was a period when piracy and wrecking- were esteemed honorable occupa tions and long after the community as a whole had grown to reprehend them there still were backward persons who failed to regard them as Improper. In 'the same way, as late as SO years ago, there were many men tn public Ufa who, while they would refuse to receive a bribe, did not think It objectionable to rive a bribe: although n.w the sentiment In the community haa grown so strong that It is no longer possible to excuse the bribe-giver any more than the bribe-taker. In the same way there are atlll In certain parte of this country repre- i tentative of a class far from uncommon a j quarter of a century ego. a class which i regards an elect ion as a gam e with out rules. In which It Is merely a sign of cleverness to swindle and cheat. Evidently the majority of the men whose actions we complain of on the National committee still occupy this attitude toward nominations, although some of them may Financiers In Background. Our opponen ts h ere in Ch lea go tod ay have waged such a bitter and unscrupulous tight for the very reason that th is Is no ordinary factional contest. The big bosses who control the National committee repre- i sent not merely the captains of mercenary politics, but the great, crooked financiers wno a tan a behind those led captains, xnose political bosses are obnoxious in themselves, but they are even more obnoxious because they represent privilege In its most sordid and dangerous form. The majority of the National committee In deciding the cases before them have practiced political theft in every form from highway robbery to petty larceny. Political Theft Moat Damaging. And political theft ts as dishonest as, and more damaging than, ordinary theft. There is no law to reach the offences they have committed, but morally these offences are far more serious from the standpoint of the National Interest than any of the com mercial or political offences which expose the perpetrators to be brought before the courts of Just lea The committeemen re sponsible for such action need to be taught that the National committee was created to be the servant and not the master of the plain men and women who make up- the bulk of the Republican -party. The party belongs to the millions of the rank and file. It does not belong to the handful of poli ticians who have assumed fraudulently to upset the will of the rank and file of the Republican party; and theft and dishonesty! cannot give and never shall give a title to regularity. One thousand and seventy-eight men are to meet here in .convention to decide the future of the Republican party. At least seven out of eight of those among them who really represent the people are against the nomination of Mr. Taft. It ia the duty of all of them, their first duty, to throw out of the convention every man fraudu lently seated there by the National com-, mittee. , Fraudulent Delegates Seated. The fraudulent Taft delegates whom the National committee seated, for instance, from California, from Washington, from In diana, from Kentucky, from Michigan, from Arizona, irom Alabama, from Texas, repre sent nothing but the deliberate attempt by certain discredited bosses to upset the free and honest expression of the people's will. These fraudulent Taft delegates were beaten by the voters of Washington, of California. of Texas, of Arizona, of Indiana, of Ken-1 tucky and then they were seated by the discredited political bosses who had Just themselves been beaten by . the people of their own states. In Massachusetts, in New Jersey, in Pennsylvania, in West Vlrg in la. In Kansas. In Missouri. Messrs. Crane, Pen- i rose and Company were so discredited In POINTED PARAGRAPHS FROM ADDRESS OF COLONEL ROOSEVELT TO FOLLOWERS IN CHICAGO. We are standing: for the great fundamental rig-Ms upon which all successful freo government must be based. We are standing- for elementary decency In politics. We are fighting: for honesty against naked robbery, and where robbery is concerned the all-important question Is not the identity of the man robbed, but the crime itself. .... . . If the methods adopted by the National committee are approved by the convention, which is about to assemble, a great crime will have ben committed. The triumph of such proceedings at the moment would . -mean the wreck of the Republican party, and if such proceedings became habitual It would mean the ' wreck of popular government. .- t ' - The overwhelming majority of the Republican progressives have declared for me. It has become clear beyond a shadow of doubt that if I had not made the progressive fight, it would have completely broken down and there would have been no substantial opposition to the forces of reaction and of political crook edness. .... f ..i Among, the National committeemen who have taken part in this conspiracy, there are a number of men who. in the ordinary relations of life, are doubtless decent and reputable. Probably tbse men excuse them selves to themselves for what they are now doing on the- ground that they are not committing what the law recognizes as a crime. It may well be doubted whether, on the whole, erur country does not suffer more from the misdeeds of men who recognize as binding on their conscience only the obligation of law honesty than it suffers from the misdeeds of actual criminals. I suppose the explanation must be found in, the fact that in the slow but general moral advance cer tain men lag a little behind the raTe of progress of the community as" a whole, and where their own . real or fancied Interests are concerned, such men fail ta recognize generally accepted standards of right "and wrong until long after they have been recognized by the majority of their fellows. Our opponents here In Chicago today have waged such a bitter and unscrupulous fight for the very, rea son that this . is no ordinary faotlonal contest. The big bosses who control the Nattonalscommtttee rep resent not merely the captains of mercenary politics, but the great crooked financiers who stand behind these led captains. , The majority of the National committee, in deciding the cases before them, have - practiced political . theft in every form from highway robbery to petty larceny. And political theft Is as dishonest as and more damaging than ordinary theft. There is no law to reach the offenses they have committed, but mor ally these offenses are: far more serious, from the standpoint of the National interest, than any of the commercial or. political offenses which expose the perpetrators to be brought before the courts of Justice. If Oie convention proves false to the cause of the people, if it records the will of the bosses, whether yet unbeaten, as in New York and Colorado, or beaten, as In Massachusetts and New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Kansas, it will wreck the Republican party, it will put back the cause of democracy, it will be false to every principle of honor and justice. There never has been a clearer lineup than this between the plain people of the country -on the one 'side and tn the other side powers that prey the representatives of special privilege In the world of busi ness and their tools and Instruments' In the world of politics. There can be no compromise in such a con test. . . .... , ' There can be no yielding, no flinching on our part.-- We have the people behind us overwhelmingly. . We have justice and honesty on our side. We are warring against bosslsm, against privilege, -social and industrial; we are warring for the elemental virtues of honesty and decency,- of fair dealing as between man and man; we are warring to save the Republican party, and the only reward for which we -ask is to put our party in such shape that it shall be of the highest possible service to the people of the United States. . - If I am nominated it will be because whenever they have had a chance the verdict of the people, ex pressed In millions of votes, has been over two to one In my favor. If Mr. Taft were nominated It would s. mean the ruin of the Republican party.. r Mr.! Taft need never again explain what he means by government of the people by . a "representative ' part" of the people. He has shown in actual practice that he means government of the people by poli ticians who shall misrepresent them in the selfish Interest of Bomeone else. It is not to be wondered at that our opponents have been very bitter, for the lineup in this crisis is one that cuts deep to the foundations of government. Our democracy is now put o a vital test, for the conflict is between human rights on the one side and on the other special privilege asserted as a property right. The parting of the ways has come. Our opponents are fond of calling themselves regular Republicans. In reality they have no title to membership in any party that Is true the principles of Abraham Lincoln. They are fighting for the cause of special privilege, and their chief strength is drawn from the beneficarles of entrenched economic and social Injustice. .. .". When I undertook this contest I was well aware of the intense bitterness which my re-entry into pol itics would cause. I knew that the powers that prey would oppose me with tenfold the bitterness they would show in opposing any other, progressive candidate, simply because they do not fear any other pro gressive candidate, whereas they very greatly fear me. - The' multi-millionaire who opposes us Is the worst foe of his own children and children's children, and, little though he knows it, we are their benefactors when we strive to make this country one In which Jus tice shall prevail, for it Is they themselves who would in the end suffer most if in this country we permit ted the average man gradually to grow to feel that fair, play was denied him, that justice , was denied to the many and privilege accorded to the few. A period of change is upon us. Our opponents, the men of reaction, ask us to stand still. But we could " ' not stand still if we would; we must either go forward or go backward. Never was the need more lmpera- , tive than now for men of vision who are also men of action. , Disaster is ahead of us if we trust to the ' . leadership of men whose souls are seared and -whose' eyes are blinded men of cold heart and narrow mind, i who believe we can find safety in dull timidity and dull inaction. . ' STuTSaf ".rS'Ll: I?" wlttl. " T in cur National to me convention; ana yet icey arrogate to themselves the right to seat In the conven tion the delegations whom the states or Washington. California. Arizona. Texas and the rest have Just beaten at the polls. If the convention proves false to the Vncontested Only Jihould Vote. ceeds to organize, the groups of contested We 'ask that, before the convention pro delegates stand aside and allow their title to be passed upon by the remaining uncon- causes of the people, if It records the will tested delegates This will be not otily In of the bosses, whether yet unbeaten, as in strict accordance with common sense and New York and Colorado, or beaten, as In Justice, but In accordance with the practice Massachusetts and New Jersey, Pennsyl- prevailing under the rules of Congress in vania and Kansas. It will wreck the Repub- the organisation of the House in the matter 11 can party. It will put back the cause of, of contested seata democracy. It will be false to every prin- We will abide by the decision of the hon- ciple of honor and Justice. It cannot, with at and Impartial tribunal in this matter; hnnsurt v nr nrnnrifftv. stand In inv ihftM or but WO will not nermlt the fraudulently way for the action of the National com- seated delegates to sit as Judges on their mittee neither by accepting that commit- own cases ana pernaps, si a result, to over tee's nominee for temporary chairmen, nor throw in the interests of certain bosses and by accepting tts decision as to the seating f the beneficiaries of privilege, the clearly and unseating of contested delegations. and deliberately expressed Judgment of the BeUbenO. onesty Charged. TLUVy. " " Th. majority of the National committee w r.t OHr caM)i "ot on,v MoTB the h ,mct,!? 1Ul dishonesty: a R.pubUcail -otere, but before the American "7""" " " "" people, upon the proposition, first, tnat tne half of politician, from territories and states Natlonal coranJ)ttee cannot defeat the wishes uu nm wi rajumi ,( tne r.nk a-d (u of th Republican and nearly half of politician, who have just voter by un,eatn delegate, honestly ""a iwuui.tcu v. elected, and second, tnat those wno are ais- peoDle of their own states, has stolen from .1.. .,..i...i .1 v- .v, kt. the rank and file of the Republicans from COInmlttee must not be permitted to substituted for them an equal nu: over two-thirds of the Republican vote In the electoral college. In them the people spoke. They went overwhelmingly for me and still more overwhelmingly against Mr. Taft. In the other states that went Repub lican, eight years ago. no primaries were held and In all but one the politicians held nearly complete sway. In those states Mr. Taft secured 176 votes, I secured 40, Mr. Cummins 10. Of the . Republican states, therefore, I received the overwhelming ma jority of the delegates wherever the people could express themselves, and taking these states all told Jn spite of Mr. Taft's tri umphs in the states where there were no real nrlmarles. I received 435 delegates (In cluding those which the National commit tee nas stolen), as against the 243 ior Mr. lit W to so lawfully eiectea aeiegates; na. , nn th-ir own case and to be the bene mber ui..u. --,.. i .h.i. .-...- fraudulent delegates, not elected by the pro line Is Clearly Drawn. flciaries of fraud committed In their ow nle. and claims the right to nullify the will rf th nnnl h niacin those fraudulent delegate on the temporary roll call of the There never has been a clearer line up National convention in the hope of thereby than this between the plain people of the controlling It In the interest of the candl- country on the one side and on the other the date and or the bosses, wnom tne people j'"""" py, vw icicBciuauvcs i "- hBvst i..at nn. amnhaticaii v rcnuriisttd. I clal privilege In the world of business and This attempt to bind the convention by an their tools and Instruments In the world of act or deliberate aianonesty. this attempt w "- w w wiujjiuihioo H.fratirt nt thoir rlvht th niain citixens of such a con test, it Js natural that the rep the Republican party, by the bosses whom resentatlves of special privileges who know that nartv has Just repudiated, brings in that special privilege cannot continue if the question certain elementary principles which people really rule, should resort unblushingly He at the foundation not only of party pro- to every kind of trickery and dishonesty in cednre and party organisation, but of free order to perpetuate their hold upon the party government or social oraer. w w.. I hold that the convention In Itself Is of party if necessary to prevent. Its being con ric-ht the onlv ludire of the Qualifications Of "a or "u its own members. From Washington, Cali fornia. Arizona Texas, Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama and certain other states the people elected certain delegates who are legally and morally entitled to sit In the convention. The discredited politicians making up the majority of the National committee with the determination to nullify the will of the Sut for this very reason we feel we have a right solemnly to appeal to all honest men to stand with us on what has now become a naked issue of right and wrong. There can be no yielding, no flinching on our part. ve have the people behind us overwhelm' Ingly. We have Justice and honesty on our side. We are warring against Dossism, Flarht I for Rixhts of People. people, have substituted for these men cer- against privilege social and industrial; we tain others who have not the slightest claim re warring for the elemental virtues of to seats In the convention. honesty and decency, of fair dealings as be- a tween man and man ; we are warring to Naked Theft, Snye Colonel. eavo th Republican party; and the only re- I have carefully examined the facts m i ward for which we ask is to put our party these cases myself and 1 say to you that! in such shape that It shall be of the highest there Is no element of doubt that the men I possible service to the people of the United In question were honorably and lawruiiy states. chosen by the people and tnat tne enori n mafArllv tn nnitpnl thm MnrMentl nothinr but naked theft. Now let ns consider what this fight has t i. A ih. Mnv-ntinn itif t. dswtrl I been for. The issue has been sharply drawn these cases; and by the convention I mean not merely by the words of Mr. Taft and of the lawfully elected members of the con-1 my sen. ma vai suu, " 1. 7 , vention. The men fraudulently put on the several actions. I have stood for the right temporary roll by the dishonest action or t ' pupio w u u. u the majority of the National committee must to rule as to work for moral, political and not be allowed to vote on their cases and industrial Justice. Mr. Taft has no less ex- to allow the beneficiaries of theft to vote pnciuy aiooa ior a governmeni oi me peo- 1 . . I nla wv whisk h onllfi a "mnrMantiitiiM Tiftrt" on one anotners ca. is m 10 .. ?, - -v---r , - ---- inrra - -------- I .., , ,.., ..hn ht h. favnr. By every consideration 01 real justice wr i ... . . . , - are entitled to have these of whom I pe.k. J, J. ..Z rho were elected by tne people, put on ""' '" .71 i.rT .jrY ,.;.. i roll call at once. But we do not ask this. "i ""'"""" ir ... J Although we are deprived or our just rignt. J' 5 .... J 1 1 , ... i . . hen those men are not allowed to vote i - . ... . . I . 1- .M- .hr I DonunixT. l,VU Lt i .onUanti be allowed to At the present moment we see before our vote on any question before the convention b" In Chicago Just exactly what Mr. until the "lOOO members of the convention Taft's doctrine of government of the people whose seatiTa "Tot been contested, shall by a 'Wtatlve rr tjiepeople really themselves decide which of the contested amounts o. a-igni. .-. . 1.4 . m-Tnr.-t-.hin electoral votes irom ao sisxes. ah. tv 01 w"e-lw miV .K-. .r.t. Hlr-sw r,Hmriii havw been held Large Majority Liatmed. or lf not direct primaries at least primaries I believe that even with the addition of sufficient to give the people a reasonable those fraudulently seated delegates, Mr. chance to express their preferences. In Taft's supporters are In a substantial minor- 1 these 20 states, where the rank and file of liy of the convention; ana I ao not mereiy tne itepuDiican party naa a cn.nc- a m- r.i--.-- i irnow. that we nave a isrie m- Dress tneir nreierence. i won ow uncgaicB, inritv at th irsiiv elected members of .the Mr. Taft 67. Mr. LaFollette 86. That Is. In convention. , I mose states wnicn went napuoncui eigui Th. vhniii iit-m of the corrupt alliance years as-o. Mr. Taft obtainea between one- be tween crooked business and croonea seventh and one-eighth or tne aeiegates politics Is at stake tn the making up of this! where the people had a chance to express temporary roll; It nas peen ronac up i tneir win. crookedly by the majority of the National primary States Widely Scattered, committee for the purpose of perpetuating rrimary bwc "" tka n.n nr th mrnint vwiitticsi boss even I These Tjrimarv states are scattered every- when the people have declared against htm. I where throughout the country from Maine to If these metnoas were ai-owea ;o prev-m LBiuoniiB, uu it iuij--.. K Dannk loan nartv vAnlrl s-nm la U MU: IDT riVB JjLXI uxurBia inwuuiv ui " !. m- for it would cease to be the party of the vote in all the Republican states would be people. If this action by the majority of lf the people had been allowed a chance to the National committee Is allowed to stand, vote. But Mr. Taft's representatives, wher- nrimaries are a farce and elections the idle ever possible, prevented the adoption of a exercise of a useless privilege. primary law.. They preventea it in Micni We refuse to recognise or abide by this gan, for Instance; they prevented It In Mon theft of the people by the National com- tana. Without question. Montana and Mlc tu rn it tee. It is the duty of all honest mem- gan would bave gone for -us at least as h winvsntinn tn firht that action Btroncl v as Illinois and Oregon, had there from the moment the convention assembles, been a primary law. Before the people of The man nominated by the National com- either state, Mr. Taft did not stand the mittee as temporary chairman, whoever be chance to get a single delegate. His head may be. be must under these circumstances captains recognised this fact and prevented be considered as merely an Instrument the people from.. voting; he and they dls- chosen by them to put in effect their pur- trusted the people, with reason; and, with I equal reason tney irustea me proiowonii lf such a men -whether he be Mr. Root ( noliticlans: and In Montana and Michigan, or anyone else, and whatever his previous Mr. Taft won delegates, to the snickering .i-r is wlllinc- to accent an election by dellrht of every friend of privilege and boss. the aid of those fraudulently selected dele- ism in the land, whose relish Is peculiarly gates, he at once becomes the represents- j keen In seeing delegates won against the ttv at force, which no honorable man. no I will of the neople. - loyal Republican, can afford to see triumph, I These Republican t primary states cast Taft, the. il for Mr. La Follette and the for Mr: Cummins. To put It another way. I squarely car ried 21 of the old Republican states, and these states cast 263 votes In the electoral college within three of a majority of the total electoral vote. Mr. Taft carried enough states (where there were no primaries to give him 82 electoral votes; Mr. La Follette carried two states, with 18 electoral votes Mr. Taft and Mr. Cummins divided one state with 13 votes. Victories Won Before People. There remain states which, although Democratic at the last election, contain genuine Republican party, states like North Carolina and Oklahoma, where there were primaries and where I carried every aeie- gate- except three. It thus appears that in the Republican states Mr. Taft was beaten 2 to 1, and that in the Republican states which held primaries where the people could express their desires he was beaten by over 7 to X. I call your attention to one sig nlflcant feature in the attitude of the Taft papers in chronicling Mr. Taft's victories and defeats. Whenever their headlines an nounced a defeat for Mr. Taft it meant that there had been a vote by the people them selves In a primary state. Whenever dur ing the last 10 days they have announced a victory for Mr. Tart it nas meant tnat Mr. Taft'a representatives in the National committee have thrown out delegates elected by the people at large to represent them. My victories nave been won oeiore tne people and by the people; Mr. Tart s nave oeen won by the bosser and by the repre sentatives of special privilege, by the Na tlonal committee and by boss-controlled con ventions of machine politicians. I carried Washington at the polls; be carries it before the National committee. He never has had, and has not now. chance with the people; and I have Just as little chance wherever the crooked type of politician has power.' ' Taft's Nomination Means Rain. IT. I am nominated It will be because whenever they have had a' chance, the ver dict of the people, expressed in millions of votes, has been over two to one in my favor. If Mr. Taft were nominated It would mean the ruin of the Republican - party, for the roll-call of his delegates, as pre pared by the National committee, consists. first, of delegates from , states that never cast a Republican electoral vote; second. of boss-controlled delegates from states where the Republican - voters were not al lowed to express their -preference; third, of delegates stolen from me; and, fourth, and least in importance, or tne delegates given him by the people the last who are the only delegates to whom he has any claim in right or morals, representing but one- eighth of his strength, the other seven eighths representing the unscrupulous use of patronage In the South, the unscrupulous tactics of unprincipled machine politicians in the North, and the naked thefts of the National commitsee. Let me give you two striking illustra tions of how Mr. Taft's theory of govern ment of the people by a "representative part of the people actually turns out to be In practice. In Ohio, a primary was held for the district delegates; but the Taft man agers who had control of the state central committee refused - our request that there should also he a primary vote for the delegates- at-large. At the primary I beat Mr. Taft by 47.000 In a vote which was about per cent or tnat poiiea at tne last elec tion for Governor. Cleveland Against President. - It was an overwhelming repudiation of Mr. Taft by the plain people, by the rank and file of the Republican party or Ohio. But this did not affect the state conven tion. Mr. Taft was not above sending an appeal to his leaders in the state conven tion begging them to give him the vote anyhow, in spite of the way In which he had been repudiated at tne poiia in that convention the county in wnicn tne city of Cleveland stands had some AO delegates. That county had gone against Mr. Taft about 3 to 1; he had even run behind Mr. La Follette. His repudiation by the people of the country had been so complete that it Is to me literally lncomprehensiye how any nan with any pretentions to honorable feeling could fail to accept' the verdict. But Mr. Taft s. lieutenants, beaded ny Senator Burton, undertook to steal from the people their right tp deliver what verdict they chose. Their tasa was no more repu table than any form of burglary, and was far more damaging to the community than burglary. They were successful. They suc ceeded in getting from the city of Cleveland, which had repudiated Mr. Taft S to 1, at the palls, a delegation of politicians whl-h was lO to 1 in his favor. This delegation turned the scale at the state convention and , earned Mr. Taft's effusive gratitude by stealing for him from the people of Ohio the six delegates at large. People of Ohio Defrauded. He was not' entitled to these delegates. The people of Ohio who were defrauded In his Interest were entitled to them. The peo ple were cheated out of their rights because they were misrepresented by the convention. Mr. Taft asked the Ohio state convention to misrepresent the people and it did misrepre sent the people. Mr. Taft need never again explain what he means by government of the people by a "representative part" of the people. . He has shown in actual practice; mat ne means government or tne people by politicians who shall misrepresent them In tne seirisn interest of someone else. My second examrle Is the National com mittee itself. The recent action of the Na tional committee Illustrates well what has happened In our country in the twisting of nominal representative government away from its original purpose until It becomes tnorougniy unrepresentative and misrenre- sentative. All this party machinery was originally designed simply In order to make the will of the party genuinely effective. It naa no otner purpose men. it can have nc other legitimate purpose now. Until within a very few years no man would have been brazen enough openly to announce that this was not its purpose. It has been reserved for Mr. Taft and his friends in this crisis epenly to act on such an assumption. California's Will Iefeated. The other day 87 of Mr. Taft's adherents on the National committee stole from the people of California their right to give the voies ox (jauiorma to tne men or their voice. These 37 politicians, none of whom lived in California, assumed to override the will of the quarter of a million California voters who had recorded their will at the nrlmarv. The 37 men who do not live In California have given seats to two Taft men. whom the quarter of a million California voters bad re fused to seat. These two Taft delegates have no more right to sit In the Republican convention than they have to sit in the Iemocratlc convention. They were defeated in California by about 77,000 majority, a majority greater than Mr. Taft's entire vote. I under the act of the Legislature all the delegates ran on one ticket, the Taft and Roosevelt'delegates alike binding themselves to abide by the result. No delegates were elected by districts. Mr. Taft sent an urg ent appeal to California just before the nrl mary election, an appeal which showed his complete acquiescence in -what was don and unless he was prepared then to protest. it was aisaonoraDie to protest afterwords. xet on tne plea or a henchman of Mr. Pat rick Calhoun's. 37 adherents of Mr. Taft on the National committee robbed the people of California of their rights and seated, the two lan-wainoun aeiegates. ur tnese 87 men. four represented .the territories of Alaska, Hawaii, the Philippines - and Porto Rico. Twelve represented states that went Demo cratic four years ago. Fourteen came from Republican states, every one of which had repudiated Mr. Taft and his committeemen at the primaries held this Spring. Theory Reduced to Practice. In other words, of the 37 Taft men who in Mr. Taft's interest robbed the overwhelm lng majority of the Republican voters of the great Republican state of California of their rights, le represented no Republican elec toral vote whatever and 14 represented Re publican states whose voters by overwhelm ing majorities had repudiated the men them selves ana Mr. Tart also at the primaries held this Spring. There remain out of the 29 only seven men. six of these representing states where the Republican voters bave had no chance to express their preference for President, In other words, out of the 37 men on the National committee who In Mr. Taft's Interest disfranchised California, so far as two of Its delegates are concerned, but one single man represented a state where the majority was Republican ana where, when It had had a chance. It had not repudiated both the man himself and asr. Tart nimseix. The action of the committee In seating the Taft delegates from Washington was j even worse; and In the other states I have named it was at least as bad. This is Mr. Taft's theory of government of the people by a "representative part" of the people wnen it is reduced to practice. From the practice or this theory, under the pretense or neeaina tne forms ox de mocracy. It is but one step farther to cast aside all pretense whatever; and Mr. Taft'a lieutenants nave taken this step again and gain; from swindling the people by sham political tricks they have a-one to the point or deliberate tneit. - - - - v Step Toward Dishonesty Taken. Mr. Taft in encouraging what was done In the Ohio state convention showed his anx ious desire to defeat the will of the people by sharp trickery which just kept within the law. But in electing and seating the delegates wnom tne xait -National commit teemen have put on the temporary roll of the convention irom California. Washing ton, Arisona, Kentucky, Indiana, Texas and other states.' a much longer step towards dishonesty has been taken. These delegates represent deliberate tnert, deliberate rob bery. The action oz Jar. Tart's supporters In these cases raises a question even more vital than those that have legitimately been raised In this campaign. Before discusslnsr questions dealing -with the right of the peo ple to rale ana secure social and industrial justice. It Is necessary to settle once for all that when the decision has been made by the people it shall not be reversed by force and fraud. We have a right to as k every honest man among our opponents, whatever may be his views, as to the prin ciples we advocate, heartily to support ns in this fight for the elementary, the funda mental honesties of politics. The first and greatest Issue before us is the ls&ne of theft. Every honest cttlxen should Join with us in the fight for honesty against theft and cor ruption. Democracy Being Put to Test. It is not to be wondered at that our op ponents have been very bitter; for the line up in this crisis Is one that cuts deep to the foundation of government. Our democ racy is now put to a vital test; for the con flict is between human rights on the one side and on the other special privilege as serted as a property 'right. The parting of the ways has come. The Republican party must definitely stand on one side or the other. It must stand, by deeds and not merely by empty phrases, for the rights of humanity, or else It must stand for spe- i clal privilege. Our opponents are fond of calling themselves regular Republicans. In reality they have no title to membership In any party that ts true to the principles of Abraham Lincoln. They are fighting for the cause of special nrlvllege and their chief strength is drawn from the benefici aries 'of entrenched economic and social in justice. I do not in the least mean that they are all of them, or even a majority of them. Influenced by improper mo tives any more than I could say the same thing of the men In the North who during the Civil War were fa vorable to slavery and hostile to the Union. But most of the master spirits among them have a strong, selfish interest in resisting the campaign against industrial wrong. v - , Real Masters In Background. The real masters among our opponents are often by. no means the men nominally in the forefront. These real masters or the reactionary forces have a tremendous j personal interest in perpetuating the rule of the boss in politics with, as its necessary accompaniment. - the safeguarding of privi lege and the enlarging of the sphere of spe They not only come far short of their duty when they thus act. but they show a lamentable ahortaightedness. Heritage Not Worth While. In this country of ours no man can per-T manently leave to his descendants the right to live softly; and lf he could leave such a right It would in the end prove to be a right not worth having. The Inheritance really worth while which we can transmit to our children and to our children's chil dren is the ability to do work that counts, not the means of avoiding work the ability for efficient effort, not the opportunity for the slothful avoidance of all effort. The leaders in the fight for Industrial and social Justice today should be the men to whom much has been given and from whora-i we have a right to expect in return much of honesty and of courage, much of disin terested and valorous effort for the common good. The multi-millionaire who oppossea us is - the worst foe of his 'own children and children's children and, little though hef knows it, we are their benefactors when we strive to make this country one in which justice shall prevail; for it is they them selves who would in the end suffer most if In this country we permitted the average man gradually to grow to feel that fair play was a emeu mm, that justice waa denied to the many and privilege accorded to the few. Some Newspapers Criticised. We who. In this contest, are fighting for the rights of the plain people, we who are fighting for the right of the people to rule themselves, need offer no better proof of .i the fact that we are fighting for all citi---sens, no matter what their politics, than that which Is afforded by the action of that portion of the press which is controlled by & privilege,, by the great special interests in s business. Newspapers of this type are found 3 in every part of the country, In San Fran- Cisco, in Cincinnati, In Chicago and Bt.. Louis, in Boston and Philadelphia, But they -are strongest In New York. Some of these newspapers are nominally Democratic, some-' I nominally Republican, some nominally in dependent. But In reality they are true only) to the real or fancied Interests of the great capitalist class by certain of whose, mem-.,, bers they are controlled. Sometimes the in- - oial Interest.' They are the men who stand terests of this capitalist class are identical; back of the ordinary political leaders who with those of the country as a whole, and , ar urafntif us. Thev nr th men who In that case, these papers serve the interests directly or indirectly control the majority the commonwealth. (Sometimes the ln- of the great daily newspapers that are terests of the capitalist class are against the against us. Behind them comes the host Interests of the people as a whole, and in t of honest citizens who, because the channels that case these papers are hostile to the -u nf hir irfnrmnHrm r rhnkod misunder- interests of the commonwealth. But nel- - stand our position and believe that In op-1 ther their acting favorably, nor their act-:. posing us they are opposing disturbers or s wuveroeiy, to tne interests 01 tne com-, th na.re Tn ri.ft(nn th a.r th men monwealth Is anything more than an inci- who now, as in every age, are intellectually dent to -their support of the Interests to and temperamentally Incapable of consent- which they are bound. - fry ing to progress and who worship at the Taft Not Regarded as Leader. " "'VV shrine of the sanctity of property, even The great and far-reaching evil of their i though that property be illicitly acquired action Is that they choke and foul the only"f and- used to the detriment of the commun- channels of information ooen to so many.4 lty. I honest and well-meaning citizens. lue- All Of these honest men are sedulously I moat nrominent renrejiftnttlv nf tha n -, Taught by the big sinister men above them I pers in New York and Massachusetts sup - tnat revolution impenas iz we Birute i 1 ported Mr. Parker against me in 1904. Mr. even the most obvious injustice. They are parker was a Democrat, but he was entirely1 f taught to believe that change means de- satisfactory to their masters and for the c structlon. They are wrong. The men who! im bain thv rdntiv did n ihw pmiIA t emperately and with self-restraint but with to overthrow the Republican party and to uu l 1. 111,11.11 B icsviunuu iu .uii-roui,,, .nv elect a uemocratio treat dent. But when I , at Injustice, right grievous wrong and drive began to be seriously talked about tor the.,., entrenched privilege from Its sanctuary, are Republican nomination this year, these pa- - the men who prevent revolutions. 6ra ontt and alI turned Republican to the-'1 Without Chan re. Death Comes. I extent of becoming my furious opponents' Life means change; where there Is no and the furious champions of Mr. Taft. 1- change, death comes. We who fight sanel There Is an element of pure comedy in . fm- th rich ta nf th nnni. for industripl t reading in these papers continual lamenta-n justice and social reform, are also fighting tions about the likelihood of my candidacy for material well being; tor justice is tne 1 u.c.iuh ma ncpuuntau pai-j. iuoj hand-maiden of prosperity; and without Jus-1 themselves did all they could to beat the1 tlce there can be m lasting prosperity. We Republican party when they thought they' nled ourselves not onlv to strive for pros- I could elect Mr. Parker. Now these papers." perlty but to bring It about; for It can only I would eagerly champion the Republican- come on a basis of fair treatment for all; party if they could keep Mr. Taft as Its. and on such a basis It shall come, if the nominee for President. In the past, they people entrust power to us. have not concealed their contempt for Mr. When I undertook this contest I was well Taft and none of them regards him in any 7 aware of the Intense bitterness which my way as a leader. re-entry into politics would cause. I knew n Difference Far From New. - that the powers that prey would oppose me ,,,.,, Ka . ,,. rt with ten-fold the bitterness they would The difference between us and our pres- show In opposing any other progressive can- ni-aay opponents is as 01a as emiuea ms- didate. simply ecause they do .not fear Jory. In every great crls of the kind wo any other progressive candidate, whereas face today we find arrayed on one side the s they very greatly fear me. I knew also who with fervor and broad sympathy- that they could directly or Indirectly in- and lofty idealism stand for the forward lluence very many men wno pnue mem- ; . . . ----- : , " x elves upon belonging to ani Indeed typify- " and betterment of mankind, and who., Ing what they regard as the educated ana have faith In the people; and over against 9 respectable, classes. But It has been to me them the men of restricted vision and con-r a matter of melancholy concern to see the traded sympathy, whose souls are not effect that these Influences have produced stirred by the wrongs of others. .. upon so many men in the Northeast and Side by side with the latter appear th... In cities like New York. Boston and Phila- other men who lack all Intensity of con-" delphla, who lead lives that are on the vlctlon. who care only for the pleasure of whole rather pleasant, rather soft, and who the day; and also those other men who dls- aro free from all possibility of the pres- trust the people, who If dishonest wish ta r sure of actual want. It has been a matter keep the people helpless so as to exploit , of concern to me to see how bitter and them, and who If honest so disbelieve lxt a Irrational has been the opposition to us I the power of the people to bring about ' among a very large proportion of these wholesome reform that every appeal to pop- men, the men who are to be found In the ular conscienoe and popular intelligence nils' most noted clubs. In the centers of big them with angry terror. According to f business and In the places especially re- their own lights, these men are often very 3 sorted to by those whose chief desires are respectable,' very worthy. But they live on for ease and pleasure. I a plane of low Ideals. In the atmosphere Honest Men Are Welcome. .".' .IL.un ",n IVJ'A We have with us a small percentage ofl . ,. the vi.lon of' the heads of great corporations and ofl. 1 .. --h . 11 great corporation lawyers Including I be- h u hI hel!t and pure,t )n human na- i Heye almeet every man of either class suf- , laughed at. and honesty Is bought flclently high-minded and far-sighted to see d ,a mstne marketplace, that In the Ion run privilege spells de- uu m structlon. not only to the class harmed' by Leader Must Have Sympathy. It but the class possessing It. we welcome Opposed undylngry to these men are th. the presence of these men. Every honest men of faith and vision, the men In whom -mjin. whatever hi.' fortune, should be our Inv. of rlrhteousness burns like a flamina- ally. The great -majority of capitalists, how-1 fire, who spurn lives of soft and selfish' ever, ana ol ,iub Dig vuivvtaklwu 1 ease 01 sioiniui sexi-inauigenca, wno ncurA so intimately connected with them, are to think onlv of nleasure for themselves t- naturally hostile to us. Their hostility did who feel for and believe In their fellows, not surprise me. The men who are most i whose high fealty Is 'reserved for all that T benefited by privilege, unless they are ex- 1. rood, that Is lust, that Is honorable. - ceptlonally disinterested and far-sighted, J By their very nature these men ars cannot be expected to feel friendly towards bound to battle for the truth and the right' t , those wno assail privilege, nui associaieu They do not address themselves only to therr with them are many men whose selfish in- cultured and exclusive few. They prize char- terest in privilege Is far less obvious. I acter even more than Intellect, They know i. genuinely regret that we have Lad with weU that conscience Is not the privilege us ao small percentage of th. men for mereiy Df the men of wealth and cultivation ' whom life has been easy, who belong to and th.y make their appeal to all men alike y or are Intimately associated with the leis- ln the nan. of the great fundamental qual-i ured and monled classes: so small a pro- 1.1..- ,. nnBiiti th.t .v.t-w m.n .hnnld portion of the class which furnishes the j,ave the qualities of generosity and un built of the membership ln the larger social, ,aiftBhneas, of fearless honesty and high.' business and professional clubs, and which courage f supplies the majority of the heads of our w w'ho war against privilege pay heed to great educational Institutions, and of the no outworn -y,tem of philosophy. We de men, generally, who take the lead In up- mand of our leaders understanding of antt holdlnr the cause of virtue when only th. ..... .,. i........ ...,i minor moralities and the elegancies of life of tnoM ,n the community whose needs arJ are at iu. 1 rreateat. We are against privilege In every Trisfnte-Mited Allies Heln. I form. We believe ln striking down .very ' My concern and regret over their action bulwark of privilege. Above all we are are not primarily for our sakes, for the against the evil alliance or special privilege sake of the people. My concern and regret in business with special business ln politics. are primarily for these men themselves. We believe In giving the people a free hand ' Th.. -..M rin it. loud hr lolnine with us. to work Inefficient fashion for true Justice. 1. i. ..n..tiv tn h. wf.h.il that this To the big man and to the little man. In,-' movement for social Justice shall number all the relations of life, we pledge Jus tic. among its leaders at least a goodly pro-1 ana lair dealing. portion of men whose leadership Is ob-1 Trickery Not Quiet TJnrest. viously disinterested. who will themselves . nhan,. ta - ''V ponents. the men of reaction, ask us to"1 stand still. But we could not stand still If receive no material benefit ..from the chang&a, which as a matter of Justice. they advo- 23, Srt W iiiM men would do to their own cla backward. Never was the need more lm- by cast- j pion the cause of those wh" most need I who., souls are seared and whose eyes are champions and 1 Thave been puxxled'at the attitude of the timidity ud dull Inaction. men ln question. They are often men who I ."- v '" Ir., r:l in h. P.t have been very sever, in their whe .profess to advance by merely markings condemnation or corruption, in tneir con-1 - , , , - SemaUon of bosslsm. and In railing at in- Justice br loud and Insincere clamor about .n .d-u.l tir hleher ideals of issues that are false and issues that ar. public service and private life. Tet when Qe?- , . ... j ,t,S, the supreme test cornea, they prove false The trumpet, sound the advance and their r" . , -T,,. irkAV I aDoeal cannot be drowned by repeating the. f1h,e lnthat y par war cries of bygo ne ba ttle. thetory. don ana upnoia every u j t t n fnr-rw- and business crookedness In the panic-struck 1 , , , m i. -I ,,",, tnHatf , Sley."arneagffy.T S wofd."wh.ch Lincoln used 54 People Will Never Harm Them. and the sDecl TV,.- .r. foolish, creatures; the people I "That is the real issue. That Is the issue would never harm them: yet they still dread which will continue In this country when- h nMnl. Thfv stand with servile acoul- th.s. noor tongues Ol juage lwueim anu- escence behind the worst representatives of myself shall be silent. It Is the eternal, crooked business and crooked politics ln the struggle between two principles right and. . country, and by speech or by silence they wrong throughout the world. They aro tn now encourage or condone the efforts of our principles that have stood feci to face from opponents to steal from the people the vie- the beginning of time. The one Is the tory they have won and to substitute boss common right of humanity, the other the, rule for popular rule. Some of these men divine right of kings. It Is the same prin have in the past assumed to be teachers ciple in whatever shape It develops itself.- Never again can they speak in favor of a I and work and earn bread and I will eat it. high Ideal or nonesty ana uecency in po- jso matter in -" ... lltical life, or 01 .ue uui io oppose po irom iu. u.vw. ..- - ,it Anm,r..inn tmd business wrnnr.rir.ina" th neonle of his own nation and lives from for to do so would expose them to the de- the fruit of their labor, or from one race rision of all who abhor hypocrisy and wno lot -'men as an apology for enslaving another. condemn nne woruH mtiL itao not u-aasiatea race, - w -.. . - into honorable deeds. 1 what Lincoln, If Alive. Wonld 8ay - ; ,.A..Pru; which Yhd " Were Lincoln alive today he would ad POW cted . strength. They " fiSTS? ZSRJS tltT-CL rro:,,.:: I lege be by a man whose wealth is great' men w.sw i , it, no whtriiF rw th multf-n taken to matte lite a little easier, better, for the ordinary man. to give him a better chance, these men of soft life seem cast into panic lest something that Is not a little I or uttJe- whether by the multi-millionaire ' vTilf owner of railways and mines and factoriee. who forgets his duties to those who earn his bread while earning their own, or by; the owner of the foul little sweatshop wh rightly theirs may aJk In earns dollars from tbe excessive and under-. no matter how argent such change may ba I Concluded on Page 18.)