Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-21
Roosevelt Defines His Posi-
ton to His Supporters.
HURLs CHARGES OF FRAUD
Conventions Honestly Elected Ma
jority Must Rule, He Says.
WILL APPEAL TO PEOPLE
Promises Supporters Little, However,
if They Should Forsake Re
publican Ranks.

CHICAGO. June Tiff the honestly
elected majority of the convention choose
10 proceed with business and to nominate
me as the candidate of the real republican
party. ! shall accept. II there is a move
ment TO inaugurate a movement to
progressive on a progressive platform, l
shall accept"
Thus Col. Roosevelt made plain his
position. in reference To boiling the re-
publican party. in statement read TO
his advisers and several Roosevelt dele
gates. Two delegates from each of the
states which supported him in the prefer
entail primaries were in attendance.
Following is the full text OF the state
ment issued by Col. Roosevelt:
The time has como when l feel that
must make certain statements. not mere
ly to the honestly elected members of the
republican national convention, but to the
rank and file of the republican party and
TO the honest people of tie entire nation.
I went into this fight for certain great
principles At the moment | can only
serve these principles by continuing to
bear the personal responsibility which
their advocacy has brought to me.
ION behalf of these principles / made
my appeal straight to the people them
selves I went before them. ] made my
argument in full: and every move l made
was in the open. without concealment OF
any kind. The opposition to me was ex-
traordinariIy bitter. for ! was opposed by
the practically solid phalanx OF the big.
constituencies political bosses. with back
of them tie practically solid phalanx OF
the big. constituencies benehciaries OF
special privilege in every form. and. OF
course, the many big newspapers which
are controlled by or in the interest of the
bosses and special privilege.
Roosevelt Asserts That He Won.
Nevertheless, in the appeal 10 the peo-
pc | won. In many of the republican
states. and of the democratic states
where there is large and real repuoi1-
IN party. primaries of different kinds
were held, and a substantial expression
OF the will of the people was obtained.
In these primary states some three mil
lion voters. the rank and file OF the re-
publican party, cast their votes; l peat
Mr Taft considerably over two TO one
In these states / obtained about six dele
gates to Mr.. Taft's one. Nearly three
fcurtlls of my delegates came from these
-!msry states where the people mao q
chance TO express themselves Mr.. Taft $
calls already taken. consisted chieny
"a side from his ninety stolen delegates)
Cf the nearly solid delegations from the
territories and from the southern states
IN which there is no real republican
Carolina. Georgia, Florida,
Alabama, Arkansas. Mississippi. Louis
iana-cnd of northern states like New
ork where the peoplS had no chance
- express themselves at primaries. and
y ere the delegates were picked by the
losses.
Claims Majority of Delegates.
In spite of these odds against me l
STAINED a clear majority Of all the dele
Gates elected TO the convention. In my
campaign ! again and again stated that
Il the people decided against me l would
nave nothing to say, but that IL they de-
cded for me and the politicians then rob-
bed roe of the victory ] would not silently
;fld tamely acquiesce. 1t was already
evident, that my opponents. with Mr..
Tafts announcement. intended 10 beat
me by foul means If they could not do
80 by Sair means.
The crucial, but no, the only, step in
the concerted and hitherto successful
effort 10 cheat the people out Of the VIC
tory they had fairly won was taken up
hy the now defunct national committee
which without one SHOW OF 1ustlncation,
ordinary rules OF decency. in making up
tIe temporary roll call unseated ninety
fairly elected Roosevelt delegates and
substituted for them ninety Taft dele
gates who in the convention represent
nothing whatever but successful fraud.
| was clearly entitled TO all these ninety
delegates: all the ninety possessed, for in
stance, clearer titles than the uncon-
tested Taft delegates from New York
city. seventy of them and as TO their
titles were as f1awless as those of any
other delegates in the convention.
Says Cause of Decency Lost.
Mr. Root vas elected and Gov. De-
mems motion for partially cleansing the
roll OF fraud was defeated, by the vote
Of these ninety fraudulent delegates. the
last being a vote on straight moral is
sue, the result o. which. in my Judgment.
ought to render it impossible for any
man longer TO take part in the proceed
ings OF the convention az now constituted,
The majority in each case was slightly
over fifty. In each case. therefore. IL II
had not been for the hitherto successful
rsscality which placed these fraudulent
delegates on the roll and permitted them
10 vote. the cause OF decency would have
won. Mr. McGorern would have been
elected in place OF Nj. Root. Coy. De-
mems motion would have prevailed and
the republican national convention would
now have been exercising In good
faith the high. honorable and vitality i'm
portant function OF honestly representing
the wishes. the Judgment and tine interest
OF the plain people who make up the mass
OF the republican party. Instead. it now
represents nothing but successful politi-
cal fraud perpetrated IN the interest OF
political and financial privilege.
Denounces Roots Ruling.
Il understand that Mr.. Root has an.
nounced that no one OF the stolen dele
gates will be allowed to vote on his own
case. but that all will be allowed to vot.
on one anothers cases. Such a ruling 1:
a sheer denial OF justice and fair play.
Not Like Ordinary Cases.
This case bears no analogy to ordinar,
cases. where contesting delegates have NJ
connection with one another. and wher'
q -