Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-09-20
Roosevelt in Portland.

Ed Journal: Having been present
at the Roosevelt meeting in Portland,
and having read some comment from
Chairman Chas B. Moores, Of the
Taft committee, in the Oregonian,
feel constrained TO contradict both
the statements Of Chairman Moores
and the report of the 0regonlan, on
account of It's coloring. The Oregon
ian, of course, would not give Roose
welt any of the best of It, but 1t went
considerably outside its limits Of cour-
tesy to a distinguished visitor to re-
port several columns of news matter
all tending to show the temper of
Roosevelt, and how he stampedes and
spoils everything not entirely to his
liking.
The fact that the committee made
an ass Of itself with its silly arrange
ments, and that Roosevelt, with an ad-
mlrable show OF courage put his foot
down on such a program, was not
noticed by the oregonian. It could
only detail the various changes in the
program, lnferentially blaming the ex-
president for all troubles. Then we
are treated to a great intellectual dis
course by Chairman Moores, who tells
us that the Roosevelt meeting was a
frost" and that II he gets 1000 votes
in Oregon he will be getting the right
percentage. or course, people who
have lived in Oregon very long can
well understand why Moores is so BIT
ter against Roosevelt, and why he is
chairman of the Taft campaign.
Chairman Moores has a good memory,
and now, that his pen is running wild
against Roosevelt, 1t might be well to
inquire into the personal animus. He
hurls arithmetical thunderbolts at
his readers much as our fellow towns
man, John P, Robertson, does on the
tariff question. But, Mr. Moores be-
longs to a class that never wakes up
until the morning after. Since Mr..
Moores writes with such certainty,
and has so voluminous an array of
figures (Which are never to fool any
one) showing just how Teddy is to be
defeated, it will naturally be highly
Interesting to notice from now on Just
how Mr.. Taft fares in our state under
the guiding hand of the new chair
man.
went to the tabernacle at 2.45,
and found the entrance jammed with
men and women, and none of them
appeared to be crazy or weak minded
At 3 o'clock the doors opened, and by
o'clock the entire place was filled
with 10000 people. The temperature
was close to so degrees, and very lit
tie ventilation. All who went in at 3
o'clock knew that Roosevelt would
not be there until 1880 or later. Still,
that enormous crowd sat there in the
sweltering heat for one hour and for
ty-five minutes waiting to hear Roose-
velt Now, would you call that en-
thusiasm or idle curiosity? II II was
curiosity, II was a refreshing brand
Although Roosevelt was no doubt
tired, so was the crowd, after wait
ing nearly two hours, Judge McGinn
undertook to entertain the audience,
but his speech dragged too much.
Another thing worth mentioning is
that that entire crowd Of 10000 peo-
Pile sat there for another solid hour
and a half listening to Roosevelt, max
ing a total time Of three hours and
fifteen minutes Not over so people
left the big auditorium before Roose-
welt stopped speaking
When people will sit for over three
hours in the hot afternoon listening
to some political discussion there
must b esome sincerity Of purpose