Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-03

President Taft, speaking In the Bos-
ton Arena on Thursday night or last
week. before over 1000 persons. dis
charged what he characterized as one
of the most painful duties of his life.
He told just what he thinks OF Col.
Roosevelt, his one-time friend.
During the day he made a dozen
speeches along the same lines. he
acknowledged his debt Of gratitude to
Col. Roosevelt and at first seemed to
utter his attack on his former friend
with reluctance, but as the day wore
on he became more aggressive.
President Taft charges Roosevelt
with deliberate Misrepresentation OF
his (Taft's) speeches. with making
false statements in regard to the pres
ident's attitude toward Lorimer, with
changing front on the question OF re-
ciprocity in an effort to win the far-
mer's vote, with having made false
charges of fraud against the presi-
dent, with having repudiated his own
trust record and with having proven
himself disloyal as a friend.
President Taft reluctantly charac-
terized his predecessor as "a menace
to the entire business community
and declared he had violated his
solemn promise to the American peo-
ple not to be a candidate for third
term.
"That promise and his treatment OF
It," said Mr.. Taft, "only throws an IN
forming light on the value that ought
now to be attached to any promise
of this kind he may make for the fu-
ture."
Declaring that Mr.. Roosevelt Ought
not to be selected as a candidate OF
any party" Mr.. Taft said that the
former president might now be paw
ing the way, If successful in the pres
ent campaign, to remain chief execu-
tive of the nation for as many terms
as his natural life would permit.
'If he is necessary now to the gov
ernment, why not later?" asked the
president, and continued:
"One who so lightly regards con-
stitutional principles, and especially
the independence Of the judiciary, one
who is so naturally impatient of legal
restraints and Of due legal procedure,
and who has so misunderstood what
liberty regulated by law is, could not
safely be intrusted with successive
presidential terms. I say this sorrow
fully. but I say 1t with the full con-
viction Of its truth"
Warning to the American People.
Mr.~Taft referred to some of Mr..
Roosevelt's charges against him es
the loose and vague indictment OF
one who does not know and who de-
pends only upon secondhand informa-
ton for his statement"
The president said that his speech
tonight was one of the most painful
duties of his life, that 1t was In re-
sponse to an obligation that he owed
the Republican party, which selected
him as it's candidate. and to the Amer
lean people who elected him presi-
dent.
1T grows" he said, "out of a phase
Of national politics and national life
that l believe to be unprecedented in
our history. So unusual is the ex-
igency that the ordinary rules of pro-
priety that limit and restrict a presi-
dent in his public addresses must be
laid aside, and the cold, naked truth
must be stated in such a way that 1t
shall serve as warning to the peo-
pie of the United States"
Mr.. Taft said that Col. Roosevelts
Columbus speech, accepted as his plat
form, sent a thrill of alarm through
all the members of the community"
Mr.. Roosevelt, he said, then found that
If the nomination were to come to him
he must minimize the Importance of
this charter of democracy" and must
find some other issue upon which to
succeed. without giving up the prin-
ciples announced in his Columbus ad-
dress, the president said Mr.. Roosevelt
relegated them to an incidental place
and changed his campaign to one of
criticism of Taft and the Taft admins
tration.
One by one the president took up
eleven charges made against him by
Col. Roosevelt and sought to refute
them. In two instances he quoted
from correspondence between himself
and Col Roosevelt, and said he was
prepared to make other letters public
If Mr.. Roosevelt should desire.
by excerpts from my speeches, Mr..
Roosevelt has sought to show and has
charged that am one who has public
ly announced that l am in favor of an
aristocracy of political bosses, and that
| am linked with political bosses in
seeking my denomination. He charges
that the patronage of the government
is being shamelessly used to secure my
tions and primaries which have been
held fraud and violence have been sys-
tematically used to defeat the will OF
the people and to secure delegates for
me. He says that am not Progress
i've, but a reactionary; that was NOM
mated by PrOgressives, and after elec-
tion Joined the ranks of those who op-
posed me for nomination.: and he inti-
mates that have not the spirit of the
Progressive or the imagination or the
clear-headed purpose essential to the
makeup of such a person. He says
that am a friend of the interests and
an upholder of special privilege, and
that a vote for me is a vote for the in
terests and against the people. He
minimizes and fouts the Importance OF
the laws enacted and the executive ac-
ton taken during my administration.
IF in this contest there were al
stake only my own reputation or the
satisfaction of my own ambition,
would. without the slightest qualm
and without care as to the result, con-
tinue my silence under these unjust at
tacks. l would do so because of the
personal relations that have existed