The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-11
Not in P olitics for
.Spoils-- That's What
HE Says.
F IG II TING FOR
THE DEAR PEOPLE
Points TO Awful Example Set by
Taft, and Calls Those Who Do
Not Agree With His Poll
cics" Spells Politicians
and Patronage
Mongers.

Washington. March 1o.-Copics OF Il
letter on tho subject OF prcfcrcntid.
pres!laatiai primaries, written b. Col
oncl Theodore Roosevelt to Senator
Joseph NJ Dixon. director Of the Koose
vel. 1atona! hea iquar,ers here. were
giV,n out tonight b: senator Dixon.
Colonel Roosevelt apparently Endorses
Senator Dixon's challenge TO Director
Mckinley, OF the TAFT headquarters. for
such primaries. and scores Mr.. Mckin-
lcy's reply that he did not favor
changes In IN. .ulc Of the game while
the game was in progress'
Colonel Roosevelt refers TO the nom
ina;iona of Federal ofNcehniders which
President Taft recently withdrew from
the Senate. and !nt3rs that the Presi-
dents action was taken 10 provide an
example" for the politicians OF the
state.
Practically the entire body OF pro-
;essionai politicians are pitted agains,
US IN this contest" the Colonel wrote.
and IN ev2ry State and In every con
Ercssional dietr!ct hey ere led by the
oHiceh oldcrs, who. with tho example
before them OF what was done in con-
nection with the nominations for local
"i'ices in North Carolina, are working
aA va have rarely seen them work IN
American political !!fe."
The COluncrh Letter.
Colonel Roosevclts letter in iuu was
as follows:
My Dca; Senator DIXON:
~ .a:c received your letter o; March
Z Stating that IN sour positiau il is OF
vital ;nportanc: 10 the success OF the
i:epubl!can party 81 the November
elections that Tie. National Republican
convention shall nominate the candl-
date whom ,hc mass Of the Republican
Voters wish nominated. and that ,horo-
FORE. this sentiment should be given
expression Through presidential pref
ercn,ial primaries N ,lie several
States. in order shat the wishes OF tha
vot@ra may he aScarta!ucd before. in
stead Of after the nomination.
u have also seen youi corresponds
cacc with Mr.. Mckinley. You proposed
10 him ,hat as fag as possible the Sc
lection OF The Republican candiiat.
Tor Tho presidency should be deter
mined b. the voters OF tho party In
preferential presidential rrima rics Mi
MGkinl =y'E answer IS contained prac-
'ically in ono sentence in the letter
sent YOU: 4 do no; favor changes in
tho rules 81 the game white the game
- III progress
Tile Ioii, OF y!ew Expressed In tina,
sentence contains tho issue Within tho
Republican party at this time NC
Who stand fog the progressive cause
Tor the cause Of honest and genuine
democracy genuine representative gov
ornmeEt. hold that "a public contest
between parties or within parties is
not carr! I'd on as q game. is not car
iIcd en- Cor tho purpose OF winning
hF!lcs iot tho contestants or with
'icw 20 tho personal wishes or welfare
OF any ono man. We hold that /,
should b. carried on for the nurpose
Of asccrtainins ard putting into ,frect
INC Will Of :hc Dcopls. SO tina, the poo.
l'ic mag Jointly DO Tor themselves VIVA,
no mon can DO 80 we'll FOR them. VIC
mold that the laws that govern cleo
IONS end govern party organizations
should not hc treated as rules which
are lit subjects FOR tricky montpnI.'
non by contestants for q prizc. We
Mold that as far as possible tht.e lo,
should DC treated as rules to ascertain
INC will of those whom the pupi!,. ON.
Gals and party officials arc supposed
70 !AnFtsent In sum. therefore. We
hoid that the object OF this contest Is
not 10 secure rewards for indlviduair
eminent; Of the people, by the psopls
and for the people
People Have No Voice.
Our opponents, on the con.r
Lake Mr.. Mekinlcy's view thar NJ o-c
engaged IN a g<fne, in which the in.
teEests o, tha people. it is tue. arc >,
stake but in which the people then
selFes are not 10 nave their voice .Jr
Mckin!ey's position was stated MIN
frank cyniciam by Congrt >>man camn.
bell on behalf Of the reaction c3en,rn,
IN tho Republican party, waen. in a
recent speech in New Hampshire bo
is quoted as 'arousins the grcs,ne.
enthusiasm by declaring that tn IL.
publican party does not believe IN an
appeal from the umpire To the blon.h.
ers'
"Mr Campbell has simply -t,,e:
more frankly the view held tas rs en-
dent BY Mr. Mckln!ey's statems.i,t
generally among our opponents. Thol,
yelling Is that politics is a game. NH
the people should simply sit on III.
oleachers as spectators, ana tnat no
appeal lies to tho people from mo
men who. Tor their own profit. n.n
playing the game. 1t is as,ourtir..
that men should venture to take such
position, and IL shows That tnr,,.
mon and those for whom they s2aaJ,
and whom they represent have van
hercd far indeed from the ground ..;l
oy Abraham Lincoln, when he declared
this to be n government dedicated TO
the welfare OF the common people, and
TO be managed Justly and honoratlv
by these plain people for their ,wn
welfare in accordance with the I'm.
mutable laws of righteousness.
"Our opponents take the vi.r ttat
.his contest is neral. a game: that
The object OF he contest rs % win
prizes for the contestants, ana that
public Office is the reward that goes
10 the winners of the game and :h1t
therefore, it is piece Of allowable
,martness TO refuse to make changes