Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-21
THE COLISEUM, CHICAGO SCENE OF THE REPUBLICAN MA.
TI0NAL CONVENTION.


whether they are merely to create a
situation which renders it unneces-
sait FOR them 10 vote on the nomina-
iion for President If the roll is not
purSed III mass Of these fraudulently
eieeted delegates the whole action OF
the convention is tainted.
when the committee ON rules has
Just, against tie protest of the pro-
gressive members. provided for the
pefpetuation Of the National commit
lee in The form responsible for the
scandalous outrages which have at
this moment brought the Republican
party to the breaking point; and
they Lave explicitly refused To reeog-
nize the principle of popular Presi-
denti;t primaries. and have made the
National committee supreme over the
people III the matter OF primaries.
Unfortunately In our political life
the unserupulous man who commits
wrongs such as these, can usually
count on having some respectable
men support him, and other respect
able men oppose him, but cease their
opposition at the point when if would
become really effective. In this con-
the leaders have already received sup
port from the former class of respect
able men; and they count upon see
ing representatives. of the latter class.
who have hitherto voted against them
fear To take the decisive step of sew
ering connection with the fraudulent
convention itself
such are the facts about the Ma
tional committee as now constituted.
I decline any longer To he bound by
any action it max take. | decline to
, regard as binding any nomination it
may make. l do not regard success
full fraud and deliberate political theft
as constituting title To party regu-
larity. or a claim to the support of any
homes man of any party.
4 hope that the honestly elected
majority viii at once insist upon the
immediate purging of the roll in its
entirety and not pieeemeal, by the con-
vention. If this purging is not ac-
Ieomplished | hope the honestly elected
delegates will decline all further con-
Inection with n convention whose ae-
ton is now determined, and has hith-
erto been determined by a majority
which is made a majority only by the
faction of fraudulent delegates whom
the convention has refused to strike
from the rolls. If the leaders of the
honestly elected majority disagree
with me in this matter and wish for
my cause to defer for the moment this
action. then | most earnestly hope that
lat least they will insist upon voting
on the cases of these fraudulent dele
gates enbloc and not separately. We
cannot afford to pardon a thief on con-
dition that he surrender half the stol
EN- goods.
IF the honestly elected majority of
the convention choose TO proceed with
business and to nominate me as the
candidate OF the real Republican party.
1 shall accept If some among them
fear to take such stand and the re-
mainder choose TO inaugurate move
ment to nominate me for the Presi-
dency as a progressive ON a progress
sive platform, and if in such event the
general feeling among progressiyes
favors my being nominated. shall ac-
eept. In either case shall make my
appeal Ia every honest citizen in the
nation; and | shall fight the campaign
through, win or lose even if | do not
sstN q SiilSic titClNltt NDtt.5 4 no tll
wish single man TO support me from
any personal feeling for me. / have
nothing to offer any man; any man
who supports me viii do so without
hope of gain and at the risk of per-
sonal loss and discomfort. But IT,
having this in view those fervent in
this great fight for the rule of the peo-
pie and for social and Industrial JUS
tiee, which has now also become
clear cut fight for honesty against
dishonesty, fraud and theft, desire me
TO lead the fight | will do so.
"There can be no cause for which it
is better worth while TO fight, none in
which it is of less consequence what
happens to the individual himself pro-
yided only that he valantly does his
duty in the forward movement. | shall
make my appeal To all honest men.
East and West, North and South and
gladly abide the result whatever that
result may be.
(Signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"