The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-21

| breaking point. and they have ex-
pl1citly refused to recognize the prin-
ciple of popular presidential primar-
les and have made the national COM
mittee supreme over the people in the
matter of primaries
unfortunately in our political life
the unscrupulous man who commits
wrongs such as these. can usually
count on having some respectable men
support him and other respectable
men oppose him. but cease their op-
position at the point when it would
become really effective. In this con-
nection. the unscrupulous men who
are the leaders have already received
aid from the former class of respecta-
Bile men. and they count upon seeing
representatives of the latter class, who
have hitherto voted against them. fear
to take the decisive step of sunder-
ing connection with the fraudulent
convention itself.
Such are facts about the national
convention as now constituted. I de-
cline any longer to be bound by any
action 1t may take. l decline to re-
gard as binding any nomination it
may make. do not regard success
full fraud. and deliberate political
theft. as constituting title to party
regularity or claim to support of any
man VI tiIlS party. ! nope CU3t
honestly elected majority will at once
insist on an immediate purging Of the
roll in its entirety. and not piece-meal.
by the convention. If this purging is
not accomplished l hope honestly
elected delegates will decline all fur
ther connection with the convention
whose action is now determined, and
has hitherto been determined, by a
majority which is made a majority
n,1S, hvy $h4 90
gates whom the convention has refus-
ed to strike from the rolls.
If leaders of honestly elected ma
jority disagree with me in this matter
and wish for any cause to defer for
moment this action. then l most earn
estly hope that at least they will insist
upon voting on the cases of these
fraudulent delegates en-bloc and not
separately We cannot afford to par
don thief on condition that he sur
renders half the stolen goods. If the
honestly elected majority of the con-
vention choose to proceed with the
business and to nominate me as the
candidate Of the real republican party.
/ shall accept. If some among them
fear to take such a stand and the re-
mainder choose to inaugurate
movment to nominate me for the
presidency as progressive on pro-
GresSlVe PLATFORM. and II IN such event
the. general feeling among progress
s!ves favor my being nominated,
shall accept. In either case l shall
fight the campaign through. win or
lose. even if do not get single cleo
toral vote. ] do not wish a single man
to support me from any personal feel
ing for me. have nothing to offer
any man: any man who supports me
will do SO with no hope Of gain and at
the risk Of personal loss and discom-
fort. But If. having this in view,
those fervent in this great fight for the
rule Of the people and for social and
industrial justice. which has now also
become clear out fight for honesty
against dishonesty. fraud and theft,
desire me to lead the fight. will do
SO. There can be cause for which it is
better worth while to fight. none in
which 1t is of less consequence what
happens to the individual, himself.
provided only that he valiently does
his duty in the forward movement. I
shall make my appeal to all honest
men. east and west, north and south,
and gladly abide the result whatever
that result may be.
Signed,
-'STheodore Roosav.lt"