The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-05-09
Playing Fair.


Col. Roosevelt last week showed |
that he not only processes the princi |
pie that the people shall rule, but
that he really believes in it by his re-
quest that the eight delegates at
large elected in Massachusetts, vote
for President Taft.
In the primary held i'm that state on
Tuesday President Taft defeated Col |
Roosevelt by about $500 The eight |
delegates at large pledged to Col. |
Roosevelt, however, were elected. And
it should be remembered that after
the name Of each one of these men
was printed on the ballot Pledged to
Theodore Roosevelt for President"
The legal right Of Col. Roosevelt to
these eight delegates was unquestion.
ed. 1t was purely matter Of moral
right
As soon as the result was definitely
known in the state Col Roosevelt is
sued statement in which he released |
the delegates from their pledge TO
support him and urged them to vote
for the nomination Of President Taft. |
He stated that it was not probable |
that the majority of the people Of |
Massachusetts, were opposed to his
nomination and would intend to vote |
for delegates pledged to vote for his
nomination that the anomalous re-
suit had undoubtedly occurred by
mistakes of the voters and that he
would do all i'm his power to have
them follow the wish expressed by the
majority OF the votes Of the state and
vote for the nomination Of President
Taft.
Among other things he says in this
statement.
'In this fight | am standing for
certain great principles which
regard as vital TO the present and
future welfare Of this nation. MY
success is Of value only as an incl
dent to securing the triumph Of
these principles.
Foremost among these princi.
piles is the right of the people TO
rule and the duty Of their repre-
sentatives really TO represent them
In nominating conventions no less
chan in executive and legislative
offices. If the majority Of the
rank and file of the Republican
party do not wish me nominated,
then most certainly do not wish
TO be nominated.
"My aim h been TO get the gen
uine expression of their genuine
desire precisely as, If nominated,
| should desire TO get at the polls ;
the genuine expression OF the ma ,
jority Of the whole people be-
cause my only purpose in being |
elected President would be to put {
into effect certain principles and |
policies in which | ardently be-
lieve, and which | could not posi-
bly, put into effect unless | had
behind me the hearty support Of
the majority OF our citizens"
During the past few weeks Col.
Roosevelt has been charged with be-
ing unfair, unprincipled, Of not giving
his opponents square deal" of
misrepresentation, Of trying TO destroy
the government to further his own
ambitions, of being a demagogue,
etc, etc.
Does his action in the Massachu-
setts case bear out any of these accu-
sations Not only does 1t not confirm
the charges against him, but shows
they are without foundation.
OF course, there are people who i'm
pute TO him bad motives in this ac-
tion, but il Col. Roosevelt 10y an heroic
act would save the life of President
Taft tomorrow and lose his own in so
doing, there are some people who
would claim that he did it for the sole
purpose Of prejudicing President Taft
with the people. Some people can
never see the good in any thing.
When man engaged in bitter
controversy with another will turn
over to his adversary that which he
is legally entitled TO, because Of
moral obligation, he is fighting fair.
In the face OF this action Of Col.
Roosevelt what is the attitude of
President Taft and his managers
The Cincinnati Times Star, owned
by a brother OF the President, states
that Col. Roosevelt deserves no credit
for this action as il he did not take
this action he stood to lose from 20 to
25 delegates in other states who we're
elected under similar conditions. This
is untrue. In other states there have
been delegates elected who personally
favor Mr.. Taft, but are bound by the
law under which they we're elected to
vote for Mr.. Roosevelt. But in Massa-
chusetts the 8 delegates at large were
in no way bound by the preferential /