New-York tribune., 1912-03-20
Issues Signed Statement Saying
They Are Trying to Defeat
Preferential Presidential
Primaries.
REPLIES TO BOSTON SPEECH
HINES President Will Now Sup
port Primary Legislation BE
fore 1t Passes, and Not
After 1t Passes" the
Colonel Says.

Much bitterness was exhibited In
statement issued by Theodore Roosevelt
over his own name yesterday in which
ne charged the campaign managers for
President Taft in various states with
doing all they could to defeat Presiden-
,ial preferential primaries.
II was meant as a reply to President
Tsft's Boston speech, in which he said
he was in favor of legal primaries, bus
that the voluntary primaries were worse
than nothing.
Il am exceedingly glad that the Presi-
dent has taken this ground" declared
Mr. Roosevelt, "and if his campaign
managers will back him in the proprsi-
tion we will be able at once to get the
Presidential preferential primary in
Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, the Dis
trict Of Columbia and New York"
Mr.. Roosevelt said that in Massachu-
setts his friends asked the President 20
help the passage Of the primary bill
there. and received word that the matter
had been referred 10 Congressman Nc
Kinlev but they never heard from tho
Congressman, he said.
Il am exceedingly glad" declared Mr..
Roosevelt. that tie President-now
nearly a week after the bill has become
a law-says as he does that he favors
# and welcome IT, But l earnestly hope
that the President and his supporters
will in other states support such legis-
lation before it passes and not after it
passes"
In another place N'r. Roosevelt said:
What has occurred in Oklahoma indi-
Gates the need Of Presidential primaries
and shows how the patronage is at this
moment being used TO defeat the will Of
the people"
In regard II the situation in New York
County Mr. Roosevelt asserted that the
Board Of Elections appeared to have
planned deliberately TO make it A pri-
mary for the election not of delegates
10 the national convention but of mem
bers Of the party organization"
Mr.. Roosevelt's Statement.
The Roosevelt stat, ment in full was
as follows:
President Taft is reported as saying at
Boston yesterday that the voluntary prl-
mary power as he calls i the soap box
primary-that is a method adopted by the
people as the only way in which to express
their wishes when their legislatures deny
them any other opportunity to do SOS
worse than nothing. But the President con-
tnued 10 say that he favored preferential
primary for the Presidency.
/ am exceedingly glad that the President
has taken this ground, and if his campaign
managers will sincerely ba * him in the
proposition We will be able al once TO get
the Presidential preferential primary in
Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, the District
of Columbia and New York.
On the 9TH of this month Matthew Hale,
of Boston, acting on behalf Of the Massa-
chusetts Progressive Republicans who
were making desperate fight for the
passage Of the Presidential preference pri-
mary bill. wired the President at the
White House asking him for his moral sup
port in securing the passage Of the Massa-
Chusetts bill.
Mr.. Hale referred specifically TO the fact
that the Presidents adherents in MasSa-
chusetts were using every means 10 defeat
the passage Of the bill.
On the 9TH of March the Presidents sec
retary, Mr. Hilles, wrote Mr.. Hale brief
note saying that his message had been re-
ceived and by direction Of Mr.. Taft re-
ferred to his campaign manager Congress
man Mckinley, who at the time was doing
all he could TO defeat a similar measure in
Illinois.
Nothing further was heard from the
President or from his campaign manager,
Mr. Mckinley. by Mr.. Hale, or by any one
else in Massachusetts as far as ! know,
and no moral aid. comfort or support was
given by the President or his managers TO
the men in Massachusetts, who were max
ing a most desperate fight 10 overcome the
efforts Of the Presidents supporters in that
state TO defeat the bill. However, public
opinion was aroused and the bill went
through. and ] am exceedingly glad that
the President-now nearly a week after the
bill has become law-should say as he
does that he favorC Il and welcomes II.
But ] earnestly hope that the President
and his supporters Will in other states sup
port such legislation before II passes, and
not after II passes.