Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-06-18
"TWA-L. BE A GREAT
| CRIME SAYS COLONEL.
~ Convention RatiEes Action of the
National Committee.
Continued from Page one)
lionel Roosevelt said in mart:

lCentInued from Page one.)
Colonel Roosevelt said In part:
AS far as Mr. Taft and l are per-
sonally concerned, ii little matters
what Che fate Of either may be. But
with MIR. Tafts acquiescence or by his
direction and in his interest his follow
eps have raised an issue which is all
important to this country. 1t Is a
great moral issue. If we eondone po-
iltlcal thelt, If we do not resent the
KINDS OF wrong and injustice that in
Juriously affect the whole nation. not
merely our democratic form of govern
ment but our civilization Itself. cannot
endure. IL the methods adopted by the
national committee are approved by
the convention which Is about to as
semole, great crime will have been
committed.
Felt II His Duty to Enter Fight
Nhen In February last l made up
my mind that it was my duty to enter
inns fight 1t was after long and care
1u elaboration. | had become con-
WINGED that Mr. Taft had definitely and
completely abandoned the cause of the
people and had surrendered himself
wholly to the blddings of the profess
slonal political bosses and of the great
privileged interests standing behind
them. / had also become convinced
that unless did make the fight it
coud not be made at all and that Mr.
Taft's nomination would come to him
without serious opposition.
No Chsnce of Success Without Bosses.
Here in Chicago at this moment he
mas never had one chance of success
save what was given him by the ac-
|
brooker, Penrose, Murphy. Guggen-
heim, Muvane Smoot. New and their
associates in cheating the people out
OF lnelr rights He was beaten so over
Whelmlngly by the people themselves
IN the states where primaries were
heid that in the last state in which he
spoker New Jersey, he permitted him
sell TO be betrayed into the frank ad-
mission that he expected to be nomi-
| mated because he believed the national
committee would stand by him. One
| member of his own cabinet, represent
ing state that has just repudiated
MIN mas been working hand in glove
WIN the other Taft members of the
national committee. under the lead Of
MI. crane of Massachusetts. Mr., Pen
rose of Pennsylvania, of Mr.. Mulyane
OF kansas, of Mr.. Murphy of New Jer-
sey and Mr., Scott of West Virginia
an OF whom have just been repudiat-
eu pN their own states-to steal from
the people the victory which the peo-
pie have won.
Multiplying Will of the People,
Men like Messrs. Crane of Massa-
chusetts Booker of Connecticut, and
| Nagel Of Missouri. who trail behind
Iher holder associates, such as Messrs
| Penrose, Murphy and Mulvane. are
doubtless genuinely shocked at the
misconduct of a defaulting bank cash
Ter or at the action of some small
election official who on election day
falsif1es the returns. Yet the wronn
to the American people, the damage tc
the country by such action as these
national committeeman have taken in
deliberately seeking to nullify and
overthrow the will Of the people legit-
lmately expressed as to their choice
Tor president, is infinitely greater thar
the wrong done by the tempted cash
Ter or the bribed election official. II
mas to me been both a sad and 9
strange thing to see men hitherto es.
teemed reputable take part in sucf
action and to see it sustained by sim.
liar men outside.
Political Theft in Every Form.
The majority Of the national com
mlttee, in deciding the things before
them, have practiced political theft il
every FORM from highway robbery t
petty larceny. and political theft is a.
dishonest as and more dangerous thar
ordinary theft. There IS NO law t.
reach the offences they have commit.
ted, but morally these offences are fa1
more serious from the standpoint O
the national interest than any Of tn,
ordinary commercial or political Of
FENCES which expose the perpetrator
10 be brought before the courts Of Jus
tlce. The committeeman responsible,
Tor such action need to be taught tina
the national committee was created t,
be the servant and not the master o
the plain men and women who maxi
up the bulk Of the republican party.
Taft's Doctrines Exempified.
At the present moment we see befor
our eyes here in Chicago Just exactl'
what Mr.. Taft's doctrine Of government
| OF the people by a Representative
part Of the people really amounts tc
Eight years ago l received electora
votes from 33 states. In 20 of thes
states direct primaries have been held
or If not direct primaries at least pri
maries sufficient to give the people
! SeobllclDlC tHdlltt 10 express incl
preferences In these 20 states wher
the rank and file of the republican
party had chance to express thei
preferences l won 295 delegates, MI
Taft 81. Mr.. LaFolIette S. This is. il
those states which went republica-
! eight years ago Mr. Taft obtained be
tween one-seventh and e-eighth o
\ the delegates where the people had
chance TO express their will. Thes
primary states arc scattered every
where throughout the country, fror
Maine to California. and it is impossi
BILE to doubt that they give an accu
rate measure of what the vote in al
the republican states would be if tn
people had been allowed a chance +
vote
Taft Forces Against Primary Law.
Eut Mr.. Tafts Representatives
wherever possible prevented the adop
| tnf1 If 1oz.