The Washington times., 1912-07-01
WOODRUFF REC|TES
REASON FOR AIDING
NEW THIRD PARTY
Former Lieutenant Governor
of New York Tells Why
He Supports Roosevelt.

with Call IOT n meeting on thursday
evening. July II, of Brooklyn supporters
of Roosevelt, former Lieut.. Gov. Tim
! othy l.. Woodruff today issued a state
ment explaining why he is an earnest
advocate Of the new third party
Colonel Roosevelt Overwhelmingly de-
feated President Taft" says the Wood
ruff statement, ''in all the twenty Re-
publican States in which were held pre-
ferential primaries or their equivalent,
except In New Hampshire, with her
eight delegates, and Massachusetts,,
| which was a stand-off. The theft per-
| petrated by the national committee to
overturn this result drove the delegates
from these States out of the convention.
precipitated the ruin of the Republican
| party and occasioned the necessity of
new party.
"These Roosevelt delegates knew, as
the national committeeman, admitted,
that this theft was perpetrated. not to
nominate TAT, who they know could
not be elected, but to beat Roosevelt,
who they knew would be elected.
Saving Themselves.
"A dozen Of the national committee
men, who had been defeated In the
primaries, and who were not even dele
gates to the convention, were simply
trying to save what little there was
left of their own political fortunes
which Colonel Roosevelt had So badly
shattered. This was perfectly clear
several days before the main body Of
the delegates arrived in Chicago. When
they came L tried to have them under
stand 1t as 1 had seen 1t during the
days 1 had been there. They asked II
steam rollers had not been in use at
previous national conventions. / admit
ted that there might have been. but II
SO, they must have been operated by
politicians who were on their Jobs and
perfectly able to take care of them
selves, but never before for the pur-
pose Of overriding the will of the rank
overwhelmingly expressed at legally
conducted Presidential primaries.
THE great moral obliquity of the ma
tional committee and Of the convention
roller, reprehensible as that was but
as repeatedly warned my fellow dele.
gates from New York, IN using 1t Tor
such a purpose as would inevitably de.
learned enough in Chicago before the
convention of the sentiment Of Maine
Massac chusetts. New Jersey, Maryland
PENNSYLVANIA, Ohio, North Carolina, II
Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota
Idaho. Oregon, Washington, California
and of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and
lOklahoma, which I visited last winter
to say nothing of the sentiment of oui
own State, to know that the honest
Republicans of these States and the
a delegates who were not bound by In
n structions or machine domination, woulc
- never abide by the action of a conven
i tion thus and for such purposes con
= trolled.
r. Feared His Enemies.
II "As soon as the primary results IL
Ia these Republican States showed th'
W wonderful and constantly increasing
strength Of Colonel Roosevelt, l begaI
to fear that measures might be resorte'
to by his enemies, which those wh,
were not his enemies e.. could uils not ,! an =
make a public statement at that tim
to the effect that, although / had beel
elected as Taft delegate in March an'
intended to vote for him In the conven
ton. / reserved the right not to do s
IL / found those supporting him wer
actuated by Interior motives or pur
Of the supporters of President Taft tina
Colonel Roosevelts candidacy would b
q menace to the business interests o
the country, position which had pre-
with Senator McCarren in October. 100
In the midst of the panic, when 1t wa
my privilege to defend the then 3, Re Re-
against the bitter attacks made upo
him for purely political purposes by tn
leader Of the Democratic organization
Kings county. That local campaign rt
suited in a decisive victory for the Re
publican ticket During the weeks pre-
] ceding the convention 1t became cleare
' and clearer, until when We got to CHI
cago there was no longer any dout
about 1t. that every conceivable near
would be used to prevent Colon
Roosevelt's nomination.
Why They Opposed Him.
Some were willing to resort to thes
un-American methods-methods destru
zig tive of the American spirit of fair pla
he and q square deal-because Of their Of
Roosevelt would destroy the busine
a Of the country; others because he wou
become q dictator and overthrow Il
It. under obligations to president Taft,
though 1t were for Penrose of Pennsy
lin vania, Crane OF Massachusetts,, Murpf
Of New Jersey MSSiXaHe Hd Of KaIsa ans
ey dozen other national committeeman wi
N. had been beaten at the primaries
en- their respective States. together. Wi
va without any electoral vote at all, aid,
by dozen more from Southern Stat
that never cast a Republican elector
vote. to pass final Judgment upon the
questions, rather than have them deci
ed at the polls in November by Il
whole citizenship of the nation.
HOW llInSy the tnlTo term arBume
Is any way In the case of Colon
Roosevelt. 1t is based on the theo
that the occupant of the White Hou
during eight years can. at the end
that time, so use the Federal patronai
and other Federal power as to contrt
If he may so desire. his nomination (
third term.
There are those who will ask how
can reconcile my present attitude wi
my past Identification with the machi
during the thirty years Of my particip
ton in public and political affairs. L
me state right here that / would ha
severed my relations with any polite
machine If 1t had resorted to any su
methods as were employed at Chica
by the Republican national machine
steal from Colonel Roosevelt the Pre-
Dental nomination which he had fail
and squarely won. did not subscri
to and l win not condone the Chica
theft. Why should not my freque
warnings have been needed by my Z
low delegates, especially those frC
Brooklyn?
II hoped that by warning my Ti
friends and then by protesting at G.
cago against the infamy of the procet
ad, ings, might assist in the effort whi
a " q ND al XHyf