The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-05-02
TAFT CAMPS ON
TRAIL OF ROOSEVELT

SPRINGFIELD, MASS Spe-
ciai.-FOr the rst time, Presi-
dent Taft brought his guns
To bear directly upon Theodore
Roosevelt I'm the fight for the Re-
publican presidential nomination.
He characterized the ex-Presi-
dent as AN 'Over-ambitiOus man
who does not know what a square
deal MEANS"
Ten thousand people heard the
President attack his former cher
and he was cheered time ami
time again when he held uD Col
onel Roosevelt as a foe 10 the
constitution and a man who had
forgotten, or, who chose 10 To-
more, his pledges to the people.
theodore RoOseveIt said that
he would not be n Candidate
again Ton President, and that TO
DC candidate would be a ca
lam1ty to himself on many ac-
counts, E" said the President.
BUT as time went on that deterrni-
nation grew less and less until finally.
under the spur of some eight or nine
Governors, Theodore Roosevelt
changed his mind. He forgot ali
ABOUT his solemn pledge TO the peoDIe
when he declared and repeated his
declaration that he would not again
United States. NV
He delivered his speech in Ohm
the Charter of Democracy as ne
called IT, afterwards announced him
self as candidate for President and
has since that time i'm countrvu,ido
tours, been assailing nv adrninistra
ton and asSailing myself l took isSue
with theodore Roosevelt on his proD-
ositlon for the recall OF judges. / he
ieHe that II struck at our liberty;
that IL tended TO undermine our Con
stltuuon. and l pointed out the danger
that would result
L never made a ouarral ,,.;.t,
theodore Roosevelt, and he won't
make quarrel with me now. because
won't quarrel with him. His Ohio
speech did not have the effect
throughout the country that no eNr-
pected. So, ever since, with his an
bitions in the ascendant, he has en-
gagged himself in abuse of nv admin.
lstratlon and in charges against me
80 far as any personal feeling is
concerned, L wouldn't deign a reply.
l would allow the future to develop
the truth or what he said or whether
l nave been sincerely trying to en-
force the law and discharge my duty
as 1 see it.
But L can't act for myself. rep,
resent cause, and I represent an
element in the Republican party that
OeieNeS the constitution should be
preserved and not DESTROYED.
Theodore Roosevelt has deceived
the people, and is still deceivinr n
large part of them now, and / cant
Keep silent, because the cause 7 ron
resent is entitled to have my defense.
As TO the Square Deal
colonel Roosevelt says that favor
an olgarchy of bossism; that 1 repre-
sent special interests; that l am not
progressivee; that 1 am reactionarv:
mat L am stealing delegates to the
convention, and using dirty imple-
ments in the primaries, and that the
patronage of the Government is he
ing shamelessly spent to secure nv
nomination. 1 have got to think mn
those charges.
Theodore Roosevelt uses the
maNims of the sporting world. One
OF these is the square deal for an
l ask you what YOU think Of the
square deal as he gives it to me2 He
CARRIED my Toledo speech and twist
ed II so as to make me believe in a
Government by the few. 1 never said
any such thing. That's his idea of a
square deal. I ask you if Abraham
Lincoln. whom Theodore Roosevelt
likens himself TO, would do anvtbinc
like that?"
Before President Taft could saw
any more the 10000 people yelled
NO! No! MOI" The President was
forced to smile at the demonstra-
ton.