Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-07-10
Think Roosevelt Will
Come Back, as He Did on Original.
CLAYTON FAILS TO GET OVATION
Statement Taft's Nomination is Same
as Roosevelt Wet Blanket.
PLATFORM NOT SATISFACTORY
Not Radical Enough for Radicals and
Too Radical for Conservatives-
Men from DebRtable
states Sore.
CFrom a staff Corresrondentl }

DENVER, July 9.--(Special Teegram)-
1t is an odds on wager that President
Roosevelt will be on the stump for the re-
publican ticket before the campaign gets
warm. There is apparently nothing else
left for him TO do after the address OF
Congressman Claytn the permanent chair
man, today. Clayton In words that cannot
be misunderstood nor misinterpreted,
charged President Roosevelt with having
made Cortelyou chairman OF the republican
national committee ia the campaign four
years ago for the sole purpose of levying
blackmail and campaign tribute on the
corporations that had come under Cortel-
you's Investigations ana supervision while
he was secretary of the Department of
Commerce and Labor. He charged that
favored corporations contributed slush
fund of enormous proportions, that was
used by the republicans to debauch the
electorate
This, In effect, was a repetition Of the
charge made by Judge Parker in the cam
paign OF 1904 1t will be remembered that
Mr.. Roosevelt grabbed at the charge like
! hungry trout at a fly and compelled
Parker to admit that the testimony on
which he based his charges was incom-
petent, irreevant. immaterial and untrue.
At that time the men who were really close
to Mr. Roosevelt had a most strenuous
time in keeping him from taking the
stump TO refute the Parker charges. AS
Parker could not sustain his assertions,
the matter was dropped Claytons ad-
dress is a renewal of the old indictment
against the president, and the republicans
here are convinced that the president can
not do anything less than come to the de-
fense against the assault upon his official
honesty and integrity.
Clayton Does Not Make q Hit.
| The Clayton speech was much short OF an
ovaton-makng affair. He devoted the first
portion of 1t, extending over a half hour in
the delivery. to arguments showing that
Roosevelt and Taft were really one and the
same personages and that the policies OF
one were the policies of the other and that
an endorsement of Taft meant an endorse
ment OF Roosevelt. Somehow the talk did
not make a hit, even among the radical
democrats, most Of whom voted for Roose-
welt in 1904 and were looking for an excuse
to vote for Taft in 1903. Nothing in the
address aroused any enthusiasm until Mr.
Clayton began laudng Mr. Bryan, and the
greatest demonstration came when he de-
clared that the democratic policies or some
of them had received the august sanction
of Theodore Roosevelt"
Mr.. Claytons address was delivered be-
fore the report Of the committee on resou-
tions and, of course, he was compelled to
fight shy OF specific declarations on vital
issues. When the report came in II was
found to be like the product Of a curio
store, something a man buys when he does
not want it and something that he never
buys again" 1t satisfied no ane and
aDgered most democrats But It was all a
part of the performance. Bryan simply
rang the bell and shouted front" and every
belboy in the house slid up to the desk
to receive the orders of the dictator II
was fresh towels and a hot bath for the
favorites and cold water for the conserva.
tives In the meantime, the democrats from
seven of the states considered debatablt
are sitting in sullen anger ard refusing tC
respond to any cues. Conservative demo
Gratis admit that the platform, the Claytor
speech and the general Bryan program
spells a repetition OF 1896 and 1900 for th'
Nebraska leader. w. II. II.