The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-06-18
By Associates Press.

Chicago. June f7.-On the eve Of the
Republican national convention, Col.
Roosevelt tonight disclosed the line Of
attack he will make. He laid down two
prinoiplee He said the delegates whose
soloctlon he contests must not vote in
the organlzatlon Of the convention or
upon the settlement Of contests, and
made Il clear he would resist IL. He
declared no action Of the convention,
baood upon the votes Of these fraud
uiontly seated delegates would be bind
ing upon the Republican party"
u was at the Roosevelt rally at the
Auditorium that Roosevelt made the
challenge. Facing the cheering throng
that packed the big building, Roosevelt
made a fighting speech and his hearers
were In q fighting mood. They oheer-
cd him on as he denounced his oppon-
ents, and shouted to him: "Go at
thens Teddy" "Knock out the steam
roller" "Hit 'em again."
Roosevelt frequently departed from
hID prepared speech for an extempor-
aneous thrust "a made my fight square
and fair and ~ the open and 7 won."
he said, "and 4 don't intend that nv
opponents shall cheat me out Of H."
AThe national COMMITTEES" he ex-
claimed. SWho are theyf About fifty
people with the ratio Of honesty rang
Ing from about fourteen to twenty,
With the remaining thirty sure thing
men,"
When Roosevelt said any action Of
the convention, II brought about by
the votes Of delegates frauduIentIy
seated, would not be binding upon the
party, there was the widest outburst
Of applause Of the evening. The crowd
leapod up with shout and refused to
be quIsted despite Rooeevelt's attenapt
to continue. ''If they ask for the
sword" he said, "they shall have It."
PERSONALITY NOT INVOLVED
The issue is both simpler and larger
than that involved In the personality
of any man, or than that involved in
any factiona1." continued the colonel.
"or in any ordinary party contest. We
are standing for the great fundamental
rights upon which all successful free
government must be based We are
standing for elementary decency in
politics. We are fighting for honesty
against naked robbery; and whereby
robbery Is concerned, the all-important
question Is not the identity of the man
robbed. but the crime itself.
'As far as Mr.. Taft and / are per-
sona1y concerned, 1t little matters
what the fate of either may be. But
with Mr.. Taft's acquiescence or by his
direction. and In his interests his fol-
lowers have raised an issue which is
all important to this country. 1t Is not
a partisan issue: II is more than a
political issue; II Is a great moral
issue. II we condone political theft
II we do not resent the kinds OF wrong
and injustice that will inJuriously
AFFECT the whole nation. that not
merely our democratic form of govern
ment but our civilization itself can
endure. If methods adopted by the
national committee are approved by
the convention which Is about to as
semble. great crime will have been
committed. The triumph of such pro-
the wreck of the Republican party
and II such proceedings become habit
ual. II would mean the wreck OF popu
lar government The actions of the
Taft leaders In the national commit
tee. taken with the active aid OF Mr.
Taft's private secretary, and of one OF
Mr.. Taft's cabinet officers, are
monstrous, and they should be in
dignantly condemned by the moral
sentiment OF the whole country.
PROTEST AGAINST A CRIME.
Tonight we come together to pro-
test against a crime which strikes
straight at the heart of every prin-
ciple OF political decency and honesty
a crime which represents treason tc
the people. and the usurpation of the
sovereignty OF the people by ire
sponsible political bosses. inspired by
the sinister influences of moneyeC
privilege. We. here in this hall, are
engaged not only in a fight for the
rights of every decent Republican we
are engaged in a fight for the rights
OF every decent American Whatsoever
his party may be. And, oh. my
friends. for one thing at least W,
should be profoundly grateful We are
more fortunate than our fathers IN
that there is no slightest tinge of sec.
tioaalism in the fight we are nov
waging. The principles for which w,
stand are as vital for the South, a.