Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-14
That Attack on Roosevelt.

The Chicago Tribune's corrcSpon-
dent, Raymond in special from
Denver declared that an attack upon
the president made by Congressman
Clayton of Alabama, chairman of the
democratic national convention, in his
speech on assuming the chair viii
force Mr.. Roosevelt to enter The cam
paign in -defense of his personal honor
and integrity. Raymond said: There
never was more impolitic politics
That Chirman Clayton displayed in
this attack" and further that IF there
was any one thing more feared than
anything else by the democratic cam
paign managers-and by that | mean
the real leaders, it has been the mice
tion of Theodore Roosevelt into the
coming campaign" Now all these
hopes have been destroyed" saws
Raymond and president Roose.
welt will be forced into the campaign
to defend himself against bitter
personal attack upon his honor"
Ii seems, however, according to
Raymond" that notwithstanding this
fear" by the democratic leaders "of
the injection of Theodore Roosevelt in
to the coming campaign" this speech
of Chairman Clayton several days ago,
was submitted to dozen of the dem
ocratic leaders, including Mr. Bryan
himself. The attack on the president
was carefully considered and was
made after consultation between all
those who are responsible for the con-
duct of the campaign. 1t is the key
note of the Bryan campaign in 190S''
Therefore, the ''taing most feal ed"
by the democratic leaders was planned
and considered by all of them. includ-
ing Mr.. Bryan himself, and deliber-
ately injected into the campaign by
Chairman Clayton!
All of this shows that Raymond
either was talking through his hat for
the purpose of filling space at so much
a word, or that the democratic leaders
are really DESTROYS Of injecting Theo-
dore Roosevelt into the coming cam
H.
Chairman Clayton's attack" on the
president is embraced in the following
paragraphs in his speech:
rs it true or not that four years
ago he selected for his campaign man
ager novice in politics whose princi-
pal qualifications for the position was
the power he held over the CORPORA
tons of the land? Is it true or not
that the place of secretary of com
merce and labor gave full knowledg
Of these business secrets and rela-
tons of corporations to this campaign
manager and clothed him with power
with the assent of the president, to
punish or reward them by publishing
or Withholding their secrets that he
had collected as such secretary?
rs it true or not that with his pow.
er held in terror over the corporations
he solicited or had his agents solicit
campaign contributions from them
Is it true or not that such a request
under such circumstances was de
mand upon the corporations de
nand that they acceded to, knowing
that the man who made it had the
power to punish them in case they re
fused? Cap it be doubted that in thi.
way vast sums were raised? If so
how much of these contributions were
used for corruption purposes We d.
not know"
Chairman Clayton refers in thes'
h. fl,A Oh, T.
Judge Alton B. Parker in his Madison
Square Garden speech Oct. 81, 1904
Judge Parker on this occasion said:
| 'The spectacle of demanding cam
paign funds now presented to thi
country when rightly regarded is o
He spoke of the creation of the de
partment of commerce and labor. tn
appointment by the president of hi
private secretary TO the head of tina
department and later through tn
presidents influence, the selection c
that private secretary as chairman O
the republican national committee
Then, Judge Parker continuing said:
| His (Cortelyous) chief duty it ha
been and still is to collect funds TO
the purpose of securing the election C
/ The president. And it is now motor
lous that there has resulted from thi
organized ortunity-whatever ma
be the precise way in which it wa
madet effective-an overflowing trea:
try 20 the committee of which boas
| is openly and continually made.
Although this may be satisfactor
to the consciences of republican Lead
ers, it must. / firmly believe, be cor
Gemned as nothing short of scandalou
lnct alone by myself OF the democrati
party, but by the American people a
we'll"
| "The whole performance is sham,
full exhibition of a willingness to max
"a compromise with decency in orde
THAT sums of money may be gathere
together sufficiently vast to justify tn
linsolent boast even now that there
NO question as to success by such
course the republican managers S
confidently predict. 1t is as bold a
it is improper and ind,sfensible.
The statements and charges /
Judge Parker's famous Madison Squal
;, Garden speech created Juror
:, throughout the country and produce
CONSERVATION in republican ranks. TT