The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-21
TAFT IN BOSTON
IN FAVOR Of
PRIMARY LAW
CHALLENGE OF ROOSEVELT
MANAGER ANSWERED IN
STRONG LANGUAGE BY
PRESIDENT IN SPEECH.
CHEERED BY LEGISLATURE
Nations Chief Discusses Recall and
Primary Laws Before Massachu-
sets Law Making
Body.
ChEERED BY LEGISLATURE


before the Massachusetts legislature
TODAY. President Taft declared HIM
self in favor of preferential pri-
maries. surrounded by certain condi-
tions. for the coming campaign.
The President, in a dignified and
convincing manner, laid bare
the fallacies and the hangers of the
recall; which is advocated by Theo-
dore Roosevelt. He said in part:
"Wherever full and fair notice of
the election can be given, wherever
adequate election safeguards can be
thrown around TO protect preferen-
tial primary for the presidency,
wherever the Constitution of the
state permits its being made ap-
plicable to the present election, L
favor it, and welcome it.
This was the Presidents first
personal reply to the challenge to
preferential primaries issued some
time ago by Senator Dixon, TDeo-
dore Roosevelt s campaign manager.
President Taft did not refer to the
challenge, however
Something About Recall.
The President made rather point
ed reference to the proposition "let
the people rule,'' and had some
thing to say about the recall of the
judiciary and the recall of judicial
decisions
irresponsible assaults upon
either In Incorporate language or on
baseless assumptions of corruption
or bias, or incompetency, made by
those whose statements have in
fluence with any part of our people.
are a serious menace to enduring
government said the President.
His address in part follows:
"You have recently passed what
is called presidential primary
law for the election of delegates
to the national conventions, upon
which will fall the duty of selecting
the presidential nominees of the
respective parties. | have hot had
opportunity critically to examine the
new law, but / am sure it makes
proper provision to meet the obvious
requirements. | am glad that you
have done this The question of
how delegates are to be selected to
any political convention, or how
nominees are to be selected by q
party. was originally a matter OF
merely voluntary and party adjust
ment, but so important to the pub
lie at large did the character of the
candidates to be selected by each
party become, that the state has
properly interfered so as to throw
safeguards around the exercises by
ali those who belong to party Of
their privilege to have voice in th'
choice of their party candidates.
Should Be Safeguarded.
sI am not going to stop and dis
cuss in detail the question of direc
primary elections, their uses an,
abuses, think everyone will admit
however, in order that they ma,
accomplish the good they are intend
ed to accomplish, they should b
safeguarded by effective provisio
as to the party eligibility of voter
who participate in them, and by pen
al provisions securing conformity t
rules of such eligibility and th
honest casting and counting of tn
ballot.
81 do not hesitate to say that, i
nv Judgment, voluntary primar
outside the law, known by its IL
formal character as 'soap box
primary, is worse than none, for
gives full opportunity to the inelig
BILE electors of the other party
east unfair votes and without IL
sanction and safeguard Of PEN
provisions in respect to casting ar
couting the ballots in an open ave.
ne for fraud and violence.
ssIt is eminently appropriate th
in every election and in the discu