Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-05-09
R00SEVELT'S
SQUARE DEAL
Even Taft Organs Praise
Action in Bay State.

preference vote has excited the ad.
miration and approval Of newspapers
and individuals the country over re.
CARELESS Of political affiliations. TAX.
en-, as 1t was. Of his own v|olition and
without consultation with his political
advisers, the action of Colonel Roose
welt has with few exceptions received
the commentator of newspapers OF
every political complexion and among
them several Of the strongest admin,
istration organs in the country.
The New York Times, than wffrf
there is no stronger supporter of Mr.
Taft, comments editorially on the colo.
nel's action as follows:
"In ~surrendering to President Taft
the eight delegates at large from Mas
sachusetts who were elected as pledged
to vote for himself Mr.. Roosevelt has
done a manly and honorable thing. 1t
is an act that will have an instant re-
Spouse of praise and approval for him
the country over. -"
The voters declared a preference
for Mr.. Taft, and that under the la
Is the exact equivalent of resolutions
or instruction In q state convention.
1t should be binding upon the dele
gates at large. This Mr.. Roosevelt
frankly n with most c~ommendable
candor acknowledges, and he will urge
n continue to urge the eight dele
gates at large to support Mr.. Taft at
Chicago"
From the Hartford Courant, a bitter
antlRoosevelt newspaper, comes the
following editorial paragraph:
theodore Roosevelt has released the
eight delegates at large from their
pledges to vote for him and requested
them to vote at Chicago for William
II. Taft as being the choice Of the
preference primary. 1t is a very
sportsmanlike action" -.
The Detroit News place the relin-
qufshment Of his delegates by Colonel
Roosevelt as an event of equal tmpor-
lance with his success In the BAY
State, The News comments In this
wise:
This voluntary REIMBURSEMENT of
support is easily the big event OF the
contest. 1t Is a concrete demonstra-
ton OF the square deal which Presl-
den Taft has so recently charged
Roosevelt with repudiating. 1t makes
more evident than ever before the fact
that Mr.. Roosevelt is lighting for prin-
ciples more than votes or office. 1t Is
a singing rebuke to the methods of
the Taft managers, who have era bbed
Off votes wherever possible and by
any methods at hand, ever to the con
testing and u%nseating OF regularly
elected state Roosevelt delegates. II
Is Theodore R0osevelt's most powerful
exemplifcation of his sincere and dis
interested belief In his doctrine that
the people should rule"
The New York Evening Post, one of
the strongest Taft organs in the coun-
try and one of the bitterest opponents
OF Colonel Roosevelt, comes to the
front with a handsome acknowledge
ment Of his honesty Of purpose in re
itIquhoAihS Ills NldSSdtll1SellS upit-
gates at large. The Evening Post says
1T would be unfair to question Mr..
Roosevelt's motives In announcing, as
he did so promptly yesterday, that he
did not want the eight delegates at
large of Massachusetts. Elected by q
ballot mistake and In opposition to the
clearly expressed preference OF the
majority. he declares hat they ought
TO vote In the convention for Mr.. Taft
and that he will strongly urge them
to do 50. This is one of those square
and manly actions in political life
which everybody must admire and
which should not be meanly criticised
about the character of the ideal Rooss
welt which he has unfortunately done
so much since to shatter. For oul
part we give his course In this busi
ness ungrudging praise aud shall not
join with those who are intimatine
that 1t was all a trick designed in the
first place to affect public. opinion and
then to make sure Of twenty or thirty
delegates In Oregon and Illinois in re
turn for the eight handed to Taft In
Massachusetts. We prefer to regard II
as simply one Of those instant and In
stinctive decisions by Roosevelt, at
once expressing his sense of the right
thing to do and hitting the sentiment
OF the people between wind and wa.
ter, for which he has always been
noted. That 1t was adroit politics
does not alter the fact that 1t was
handsome and honorable"
Under the caption. People Against
Bosses,' the Chicago Tribune speaks
OF Colonel Roosevelt's action thusly:
Colonel Roosevelt's prompt renun
citation Of the eight delegates at large
from Massachusetts Is Il consistent ap,
plication of the principle which he and
his supporters are Fighting for through
out the country.
THAT principle Is, Let the people
rule
in a total vote of about $4,000 Mr.
Taft received less than 1000 more
than Colonel Roosevelt. But, small as
IT was, 1t registered the direct vote OF
the people. and Colonel Roosevelt asks
that 1t be followed In spite + any
technical claims.
The position thus taken 10 a refresh
ing and a significant contrast to the
sordtd violence of machine politics
which gave Mr.. Taft delegates in In
diana, where no one doubts a direci