New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-12
ANGER. RIGHTEOUS, BUT MiSDi-
RECTED

Mr.. ROOsevelt'S anger over the out
come of the anti-Taft contests is easily
understood He has reason to be angry.
Quite aside from the effect OF the de-
cisions on his political fortunes, the re-
suits are calamitOus. For man VINO
holds such lofty position in the eyes
of the world. who has rendered such
great services to his country and whose
public utterances command such serious
attention from and carry such cOnvlc-
ton to mutitudes, 1t is serious thing
to be left like the boy in the fable VINO
cried Wolf, wolf" till nobody placed
any trust in his alarms. Faced with
that danger by his ardent acceptance OF
his supporters preposterous claims, Mr..
Roosevelt is naturally incensed. The
stream of his denuncfation having been
already turned with great momentum
on his rival, it is not possible for him to
switch it instantly to his own deceiving
managers, where it belongs. But when
time permits him TO overcome the natu-
raj tendency Of force started in one
direction to continue in straight line
doubtless Mr. Roosevelt will give their
due to the Perkinses. Dixons, Films.
Wards, McFIargs, Beveridges, McCor-
micks. Garfields and Pinchots who have
made him take the public responsibility
for gigantic scheme Of buster and
deception
Time and time again Mr.. Roosevelt
evidently on the assurances of his fol
lowers in the field-for it is unthinkable
that the ex-President should have made
such statements without moral con-
victiOn, carefully reached-has told the
American people in the most solemn
manner that his contestants from vari-
Gus states were entitled to their seats
and could be kept ont only by the most
outrageous fraud. On May he issued
this declaration:
In Kentucky and Indiana. in New York
City and elsewhere. Mr.. Taft knows well
that the delegates elected for him repre-
sent barefaced frauds. He stands guilty
of connivance at and conformation OF
these frauds: stands guilty or approving
and encouraging fraud.
As early as March q. speaking Of In
diana. he said that he had carried the
state convention handsomely" and that
the will of the people had been reversed
by brutal fraud. And in the current
Outlook" he declares:
Practically the attempt is being made
by the Taft managers to use the present
national committee to unseat honestly
oil cd dalnOatpS and To seat enough
fraudulently elected delegates. especially
from the states where there is no real
Republican party, to secure the nomina-
ton for Mr.. Taft.
These are evidently Mr.. Roosevelts
firm beliefs. He would not have uttered
such sweeping statements OF right and
wrong without full expectation that In
due time the truth of his words would
be manifest Yet now he sees that his
contesting representatives Of the people
were themselves the naked fraud. He
sees them stripped of every vestige of
right and responsibility by his own de-
voted followers In the national commit
tee. He sees Taft delegates from lndi-
ana and Kentucky, whom he had been
led to denounce as frauds, seated by Il
unanimous vote, while his campaign
managers explain that they never took
the contests seriously. But Mr.. Roose-
welt took them seriously.
No wonder he is angry. He has been
deceived. He has been made to curse
when his own trusted followers in the
national committee tell him he should
have blessed. And he has been fooled
into blessing meritless factionism and
fraudulent claims made In his name.
The lIghtnings of his anger may justly
play about the heads Of his unscrupu-
lous managers. who in seeking to COM
pass his nomination, now confess to hav-
ing employed SANDER, false pretence and
fraud.