The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-18

| convention. They were defeated in
California by about 1900 majority
| a majority greater than Mr.. Taft's en-
tire vote. Under the act of the leg
J islature all the delegates ran on one
! ticket, the Taft and Roosevelt dele
gates alike binding themselves to
were elected by districts. Mr.. Taft
| sent an urgent appeal to California
/ just before the primary election, an
! appeal which showed his complete ac-
qulescence in what was dOne-and I'M
| less he was prepared then to protest,
| it was dishonorable to protest after
| wards. Yet on the plea of a hench-
man of Mr.. Patrick Calhoun's, 81 ad-
herents of Mr.. Taft on the national
! committee robbed the people of Cali
fornia of their rights and seated the
| two Taft-Calhoun delegates. OF these
| 81 men, four represented the terri
tories of Alaska, Hawaii, the Philip
pines and Porto Rico. Twelve rep
resented states that went Democratic
| four years ago. Fourteen came from
Republican states, every one of which
| had repudiated Mr.. Taft and his COM
mitteemen at the primaries held this
spring. In other words, of the 81
| Taft men who in Mr.. Taft's interest
| robbed the overwhelming majority of
\ the Republican voters of the great
Republican state of California of their
rights sixteen represented no Repub-
| lican electoral vote whatever and
| fourteen represented Republican
|
majorities had repudiated the men
| themselves and Mr.. Taft also at the
primaries held this spring. There re-
main out of the 20 only seven men,
six of these representing states Where
the Republican voters have had no
chance to express their preference for
president. In other words, out OF the
81 men on the national committee
who in Mr.. Tafts interest dlstran-
chised California SO far as two of its
delegates are concerned, but one sim
gle man represented a state Where
the majority was Republican ana
where, when it had a chance' IL mas
not repudiated both the man himself
and Mr.. Taft himself. The action of
the committee in seating the Taft del
egates from Washington was even
worse; and in the other states nave
named it was at least as bad. This is
Mr.. Taft's theory of government OF
the people by q representative part
of the people when 1t is reuuceo 10
practice. From the practice OF TINS
theory, under the pretense of needing
the forms of democracy, it is but one
stem farther to cast aside all pretense
whatever; and Mr.. Tafts Heutenants
have taken this step again and AGAIN
from swindling the people by sharp
political tricks they have gone TO the
point of deliberate THEFT.
Taft Anxious to Thwart People.
..Mr Taft, encouraging what was
showed his anxious desire to de1eat
the will of the people by sharp trick
ery which kept just WITHIN the Jaw.
But in electing and seating the oele-
gates whom the Taft national COM
I1oitteemen have put on the temporary
roll of the convention from California.
Washington, Arizona, Kentucky, IN
diana. Texas and other states, much
longer step towards dishonesty mas
been taken. These delegates represent
Alt To
The action of Mr.. Taft's supporters in
these cases raises a question more
vital than those that have legitimately
been raised in this campaign. BEFORE
discussing questions dealing with the
right of the people to rule and TO
secure social and Industrial justice. it
is necessary to settle once for all that
when the decision has been made by
the people it shall not be reversed by
force and fraud. We have right to
ask every honest man among our OPP
ponents whatever may be his views as
to the principles we advocate, heartily
to support us in this fight for the ele-
mentary, the fundamental honesties of
politics The first and greatest issue
before US is the issue of theft. Every
the fight for honesty against theft
and corruption.
Democracy Put to Final Test.
at is not to be wondered at that
our opponents have been very bitter;
for the lineup in this crisis is one
that cuts deep to the foundations OF
government. Our democracy is now
put to vital test: for the conflict is
between human rights on the one side
and on the other special privileges as
serted as a property right. The part
ing of the ways has come. The Re
publican party must definitely stand
on one side or the other. 1t must
stand, by deeds, and not merely by
empty phrases, for the rights of hu
mainly, or else 1t must stand. for Spe-
cial privileges.
Our opponents are Ind of calling
themselves regular Republicans. In
reality they have no title to member |
ship in any party that is true to the
principles of Abraham Lincoln. They |
are fighting for the cause of special |
privileges and their chief strength is |
drawn from the beneficiaries of en- |
trenched economic and social injustice. |
I do not in the least mean that they |
them influenced by improper motives
any more than I would say the same
thing of the men in the North who,
during the Civil War. were favorable
tc slavery and hostile to the Union.
But most of the master spirits among
them have a strong selfish interest in
resisting the campaign against indus
trial wrong. The real masters among
our opponents are often by no means
the men nominally in the forefront.
These real masters of the reactionary
forces have a tremendous personal in
terest in perpetuating the rule of the
boss in politics with as it's necessary
accompaniment the safeguarding of
privileges and the charging of the
sphere of special interest. They are
the men who stand back of the orci-
nary political leaders who are against |
us. They are the men who directly or
control the majority of the
great daily newspapers that are against
us. Behind them comes the host of Il