Arizona republican., 1904-02-14
FIR. BAsHFoRD's POSITION
Roosevelt Man Who Has Never Shirk-
 ed a Political Duty.

who has been urged by many repubii- cans of Yavapai county to become a candidate for delegate to the national convention thus addresses through the Journal Miner the republicans of his county.
 Sometime ago, at the instigation of many members of our county repubE- can central committee. and many prominent republicans of the county and territory I announced myself as a candidate before the, territorial re- publican convention. as one of the six delegates to the national republican convention to be held .n Chicago on June q next.
 T have always been, and am today. great admirer of President Roose- welt. l think he has given us a wise and fearless administration. ! thinE he should be nominated and the peo~ pie of this county and territory are unanimously of that opinion. do not believe that any other name will even be presented at the national conven- tion but that of President Roosevelt. am thoroughly in accord with the views of the people of this territory on the question of President Roosa' velt's nomination and if I am chosen ttS OiIC O- lHc CclcSdiGS lIlc lcA- ritory of Arizona. shall vote for his tpomination.
 Certain interruptions persons have persistently circulated reports through out this county and territory, during , an absence of two weeks from Pres colt. that I do not favor President Rossevelt's nomination all written l for the purpose of prejudicing the re- publicans of the county and territory against me. 1 have always been, and am today, of the opinion that it would be suicide for the republicans of the nation to nominate any other person for the presidency, but Presi- dent Roosevelt
 | Republicans of Yavapai County, l assisted at the organization of the re- publican party in this county in 1880. l have never refused a candidate my support. never fought a candidate on | a republican ticket since a ticket has been moulded by a republican con- vention. I have never spoken i'll of a man who was chosen by my party in convention assembled. have never | summed political fight, have never sulked over any defeat, and have al- ways given by time freely and my means as liberally as has been within my power. I have allowed my name to fll up a ticket. after others re- fused. when I neither wanted the of fee and defeat was certain. l have never broken a party pledge, in any | shape or manner and l can say to you now that [ propose that my actions shall te in the future as consistent as they have been in the past.
 If I am selected by the republican territorial convention as one of the six republicans of this territory to repre- sent them in national convention, am selected to represent theft views, to obey their wishes, and to voice their choice in the nomination of President Roosevelt. I propose to and will do this honestly. Loyalty and faithfully. I propose also to go in person and repre- sent your wishes. and not to deliver my proxy to any person to cast for me.
 "I have always believed, 1 believe to- day, that an uninstructed delegation is a much stronger one for a territory than an instructed enc, and much more honorable one for the president himself. seeking the presidency a sec ond time. The president certainly would prefer to be nominated by re- publicans of his party, rather than by those holding the offices under him. l You will remember that at the Minne- apOlis convention when President Har- rison asked for a nomination, and who was afterward defeated. that the con venticn was packed with office holders l-many delegations being instructed, even to the one from this territory. 1 "1n every probability President Roosevelt's name will be the only one presented at the republican convention. He will have no opposition. but will | be nominated by exclamation. Hence, what good can an instructed delegation be to him? It will be a much greater compliment to the president to send six Roosevelt men to the convention un- pledged.
 ''I repeat again, that I may not be misunderstood that If I am chosen to | represent the republicans of the terri | tory In national convention. am going to Chicago to vote for the nomination | of President Roosevelt. I will 6o my duty honestly, faithfully and persist entl--
 My actions in the past as a consist ent member of the party offer you as my pledge for the future.''
 The republican primaries will be held in Yavapai county. Saturday, February 27, and the county convention will be held in Prescott, March 5, to select delegates to the territorial convention, which will meet in Tucson. March 8, | to select delegates to the national con- venticn, which will meet in Chicago in June.