The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-18
ReOiews Whole Fight, Giving His Req sons For Entering Fray And
 Results Of Battle
PERSONAL ISSUE IS OF
 LITTLE CONCERN, HE SAYS
Is More Than Fractional FghIs Fight to Save Americans Taft Has Abandoned All Decency in Desperate Effort to
 Secure Nomination-There Gan Be no Compromise


 My Friends and Fellow Citizens;
 q address you as my fellow re- pubieans, but I also primarily ad- dress you as fellow Americans, fellow citizens. for this has now become much more than an ordinary party fight. The issue is both simpler and larger than that involved In the personality of any man, or than that involved Tn any iae- tional or in any ordinary party contest. We are standing for the great funda- mental rights upon which all successful free government must be based We are standing for elementary decency in poll tics. We are fighting for honesty against naked robbery, and where robbery IS con- cerned the all important question IS not the identity of the man robbed but the crime itself.
 As far as Mir Taft and I are personally concerned, it little matters what the fate of either may be. But with MT. Taft 5 aeoneseence or by his direction, and lfl his interest, his followers have raised an issue which is all important to thls country.
 It is not a partisan issue; It IS more thaa a political issue; it Is a great moral issue. If we condone political theft, if we do not resent the kinds of wrong and in- justice that will injuriously effect the whole nation, that not merely our demo- cratic form of government, but our eivll- ization itself can endure.
 Committeeman Are Criminals
 If methods adopted by the national committee are approved by the convention which is about to assemble, great crime will have been committed. The triumph of such proceedings at the moment would mean the wreck of the republican party and if such proceedings become hapiloal 1t would mean the wreck of popular gov ernment The actions of the Taft leaders in the national committee, taken with the active aid of MT. Taft's private seere- tary and of one of MT. Tafts eaplnet officers are monstrous, and they shoald be indignantly condemned by the moral sentiment of the whole country. Ionlgit we come together 10 protest against Il crime whic1 strikes straight at the heart of every principle of political decency and hol esty a crime which represents treason 10 tlle people and the usurpation of the sovel eignty Of the people by Irresponsible political hosses inspired by the sinister influences of moneyed privilege
 Fighting for Americans
 We here m this hall are engaged noi only in a fight for the rights of every de cent republican, we are engaged III fight fo. the rights of every decent Amer
  sa.s< my friends. for one thing at least we should be profoundly grateful Ne are mere fortunate than our forefathers in that there is no slightest tinge of sec tionalism in the fight we are now wagins. The principles for which we stand are as vital for the south as for the north, for the east as for the west. We make our appeal to all honest, far sighted and pa triotic Americans, no matter where they may dwell.
 sWEen in February last l made up my mind that it was my duty to enter thls fight. 1t was after long and careful delio- eration. l had become convinced that Mr. Taft had definitely and completely abandoned the cause of the people and had surrendered himself wholly to the bd- dings Of the professional political bosses, and of the great privileged interests standing beside them. l had also become convinced that unless l did make the fight il could not be made at all. and that MT. Taft's nomination would come to hlm without serious opposition.
 Beliefs Justified
 The event has justified both my belief l very earnestly ask our fellow progres siyes, who have supported other eandl- dates to remember that one of the car dinal principles of the doctrines which we hold in common is our duty normally, loyally and in good faith to abide by the well thought out and honestly expressed action of a majority, The overwhelming majority of the republican progressives have declared for me. It has become clear beyond a shadow of doubt that II had not made the progressive fight it would haze completely broken down, and there would have been no substantial ops position to the forces of reaction and Of political crookedness, Let those progress sives who stand for principle and who are concerned with the fortunes of any par tieular man only a means for securing the triumph of principle. ponder these facts and refrain in this crisis from play Ing into the hands of our enemies.
 Tafts Denial Meant Little
 MI Taft at first denied that he repre- scented the bosses. His denial was of lit- tie consequence, for his deeds belied his words But doubt if at present he would venture to repeat the denial. As 1t has become constantly more and more evil dent that the people are against him, he has more and more undisguisedly thrown himself into the arms of the bosses. Here in Chicago, at this moment he has never had one chance of success save what was given him by the action of Messrs. Crane. Barnes, Rrooker. Penrose, Murphy, Gug- genhein Mulvane, Shoot, New and their associates in cheating the people out of their rights He was beaten so over- whelmingly by the people themselves in the states where primaries were held that in the last state in which he spoke, in New Jersey, he permitted himself to be betrayed into the frank admission that '>= expected 70 be nominated. because he believed the national committee would stand by him. One member of his own cabinet, representing a state that has just rel.rt ieted him. has been working hand in hand with the other Taft members of the national corummttee, under the lead Of MT. Crane of Massachusetts, MT. Pen rose ot pefnsylvania, MT. Mulyane Of Kansas. MT. Murphy of New Jersey and Mir. Scott of West Virginia, all of whom have just been repudiated by their own states to steal from the people the vic- tory which the people have wone. Last February it was evident that MT. Taft was the accepted representative of the bosses, of the men who uphold the com bil.ation of crooked politics and crooked business which has been the chief source, not only of our political but of our social and industrial corruption. It has now. alas, become evident that MT. Taft is willing to acquiesce in, and to eondone, and to accept the fruits of any course of action on which these men embark, even though such action represent treason, as well as de es'ruction to the republican party 10 which tEey nomnally belong. and also treason to the cause of the Amer ican people as whole.
 A Few Decent Otherwise
 sAmong the national committeeman who have taken part in this conspiracy