The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-12
THOSE STOLEN DELEGATRs.


Fortunately the calling of a man 8
thief doesn't make him one. Proof,
other than the mere use of words, is
needed to press home such a charge.
And because many of the Roosevelt
enthusiasts continue their insistence
night and day that the denomination
of President Taft was brought about
/ by the theft of delegates that is no
| certainty that their contentious are
/ sound. All of the opposition on the
part of erstwhile Republicans to the re-
election of Mr.. Taft seems to be based
| on the action of the Republican ma
tional committee, of recent existence,
in making up the temporary and per-
| manent rolls Of the convention. And
| the charge that this committee act
ually stole delegates for President Taft
| that belonged to Colonel Roosevelt is
more matter of political expediency
on the part of the Roosevelt support
ers than it is a statement of political
fact. AS matter of fact. the rulings
Of the national committee on all of
the contested delegates was in accord
ance with the rules that have prevail
ed in the Republican party for years.
Those same rules for the creation of
a national convention still are in
force and will continue unless the
present national committee changes
them.
Perhaps a bigger outcry has been
raised over the decision of the ma
tional committee in the contest for
the two delegates from the Fourth
California district than there has
been concerning any of the other con-
tests. And what are the facts in this
case? One of the rules for the creation
of a national convention by the Re-
publican party is that each congress
sional district in the country shall
have a representation of two delegates
of its own. In states where presiden-
tial primary laws were in operation,
under the authorization of regular
statutes, the national committee de-
cided, in it's call for the convention, to
recognize the verdict of those prima-
ries. And in every presidential prim-
airy state. with the exception of Cali
fornia, there were separate and dis
tinct primaries in each congressional
district for the selection of the district
delegates. The state wide presiden-
tial primary properly was concerned
only in the selection of delegates at
large to the convention. But so crude
were some of the presidential primary |
s,
people in this particular was vitiated |
in at least two instances. The Cali |
fornia presidential primary law, how |
ever disregarded the congressional |
district primaries entirely. 1t provid- |
ed that the presidential candidate re-
ceiving the popular vote in the state |
was entitled to the entire delegation |
from the state. In all other presiden- |
tial primary states, the congressional |
district primaries had their regular |
place in accordance with the rules of
the party for the establishment of a |
national convention. California alone
considered herself superior to such
rules The results of the primaries in
California were that Mr.. Roosevelt |
received a majority of the popular
vote. In doing so he got a popular
majority in each of the congressional
districts with the exception of the
Fourth. President Taft won the pop
ular majority in that district, and
therefore under the rules of the Re-
publican party concerning the basis of
representation of the congressional
districts in the convention, he was
clearly entitled to the two delegates
from the Fourth California district,
even though this was not in accord
with the presidential primary plan
that California promulgated. But I'M
der all the rules of the Republican
national political game, and which
prevailed in every other presidential
primary state, President Taft won the
two delegates in the Fourth California
district, and the National committee
so decided.
That may be theft from the stand
point of the Roosevelt enthusiasts who
needs must have some reason besides
selfishness for opposing President
Taft, but it certainly won't have the
earmarks of theft for honest-minded
men. And the other charges of theft
of delegates that the Rooseveltians are
making haven't any more real merit
in them.