Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-10-26
THE ATTEMPT THAT WAS MADE
TO STEAL THE NOMINATION
FOR ROOSEVELT.
SCORES OF FAKE CONTESTS
Evidence of Attempted Thefts ConcIu-
sive and Overwhelming, While
President Taft's Title Is Hon
est and Clear.


tionaI Committee and the National Re
publican convention with the theft of
something like seventy delegates.
while practically nothing has appeared
in print or been heard upon the plat
form about the attempted theft of
more than twice as many delegates on
the part of the Roosevelt managers?
Is not the attempt to steal. deter
mined effort to steal, as culpable NOR
ally as an acual theft?
The evidence is absolutely conclu-
sive that the nomination was not
stolen for President Taft.
The evidence is just as conclusive
that deliberate plan was formed, of
which he had full cognizance, to steal
the nomination for Col. Roosevelt,
crime which would have been perpe-
trated except for the courageous hon
esty of the members of the National
committee and of the credentials com
mittee of the national convention.
Truth Should Be Known.
If these statements are startling it
Is because they are new and not be-
cause they are not true. Col Roose-
welt is a postmaster in diverting at
tention from himself by a noisy and
terrifying assault upon others. But
the tumult and the shouting have died
away and it is time now for the coun-
try to know and consider the truth.
And the truth is that very early in
the pre-convention campaign the
Roosevelt managers laid their plans to
prepare the public mind for the charge
that the nomination had been stolen,
provided it went to anybody but
Roosevelt. They did this by instigat-
H.
fake contests without. as it was after
wards admitted, q shadow of ground
upon which to rest.
The purpose for which these con
tests were instigated was frankly
and cynically avowed, even while they
were still under consideration, in a
dispatch from Chicago. written by
Judson c. Welliver, one of the most
ardent Roosevelt supporters. In this
dispatch. which was sent to Mr.. Mum
sey's Washington Times, Mr. Welliver
said:
For psychological effect. as a move
in practical politics. it was necessary
for the Roosevelt people to start con-
tests on the early Taft selections in
order that tabulation of delegate
strength could be put out that would
show Roosevelt holding a good hand
In the game
"A table showing Taft. $50; Roose-
veft. 10: contested, none would not
be very much calculated to inspire con-
fidence. whereas one showing Taft,
,23; Roosevelt. 10; contested. 1871
looked very different"
Contests Were Pure Fakes.
In ether words, here is frank avow-
al that nearly two hundred contests
had been instigated for psychological
erect as "a move in practical poll
tics" to deceive the people into think
ing that Col Roosevelt had support
when in fact he did not have tut
terly fake contests. started for a frau
dulent purpose and with the full knowl-
edge on the part of Col Roosevelt
that their only reason for existence
was to deceive the people and to pre-
pare the way for the cry of fraud
when they were decided against him
This is severe language but it is not
more severe than the facts warrant;
for of the pa contests instigated by
the Roosevelt managers, 162 were
thrown out by the unanimous vote OF
the National committee. the Roosevelt
men joining with the Taft men in de
claring that they had no ground what
ever upon which to rest In the face
of this unquestioned record, is there
not full warrant for charging that tbs
Roosevelt managers, with the knowl
edge and consent of their chief at
tempted to steal the nomination?
The command Thou shalt not steal
certainly implies the further command
ment. Thou shalt not attempt t,
steal?" And with this attempt t,
steal so indelibly branded upon him
what consideration should be give
the charges of theft which Col. Roose
welt makes against another.
Some of the Decisions.
Why are the friends of Presiden
Taft called upon to defend him. 70
example. from the charges of havin
stolen the Indiana delegation whe
the Taft delegates we're seated by tn
unanimous vote of the committee, Co
Roosevelt's own supporters declarin
the Roosevelt contestants had NJ
shadow OF claim to the seats2 VIII
should It be necessary to defend tn
president against the charge of stole
delegates in Georgia when only tw
put of the SO members of the commi
tee voted against the Taft delegates
In no case did Col Roosevelt make
louder cry of fraud than in the Mich
gan case and yet there again his ow
friends on the committee declare
the Taft delegates were without douf
entitled to their seats
Why even should 1t be necessary I
enter a defense of the California case
This In the one in which the MOI
noise has been made and yet 1t wa
one of the simplest and clearest
49, 80 =