Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-21
Brief Session, Thursday CredenHaI Committee Seats
Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas Taft Men, with
Two from Latter for Colonel RedhOt Statement
ByROoSeve|t-. Resolutions Committee al Work.
THE ROOSEVELT STATEMENT.


Chicago. June 2e-Following is the
full text Of the statement issued by
Mr.. Roosevelt, this afternoon:
The time has come when / feel that
/ must make certain statements, not
merely to the honestly elected mem
bers Of the Republican National con-
vention. but to the rank and file of
the Republican party and 10 the honest
people of the entire nation. ] went
into this fight for certain great prin-
eiples. At the moment ! can only
serve these principles by continuing
to bear the personal responsibility
which their advocacy has brought to
me.
ION behalf OF these principles L
made my appeal straight to the people
themselves. / went before them, I
made my argument in full: and every
move / made was in the open. with
out eeneealment of any kind The OPP
position to me was extraordinarily Bit
ter, for | was opposed by the practi-
eally solid phalanx Of the big con-
seiencless political bosses, with, back
of Them the practically solid phalanx
of the big constituencies beuefieiaries
of special privilege in every form, and
of course the many big newspapers
which are controlled by or in the in-
terest of the bosses and special privi-
lege.
Nevertheless, in the appeal to the
people, | won. In many of the Repuh-
lican states and of the Democratic
states where there is a large and real
Republican party. primaries of differ
ent kinds were held and a substantial
expression of the file of the people
was obtained. In these primary states
Some 100000 voters, the rank and
file of the Republican party, cast their
votes | beat Mr.. Taft considerably
over > to /. In these states | obtain
ed about six delegates to Mr.. Taft's
one Nearly three fourths Of my dele
gates came from these primary states
where the people had a chance to ex-
press themselves. Mr.. Taft's strength
as indicated by the two roll calls al
ready taken, consisted chiefly (aside
from his 30 stolen eelegates) of tho
nearly solid delegation from the terri
tories and from the Southern states
in which there is no real Republican
party South Carolina, Georgia, F1ori-
da. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi,
Louisiana and of Northern states like
New York, where the people had no
chance To express themselves at prim-
aries, and where the delegates were
picked by the bosses.
I'm spite Of these ODDS against me
obtained clear majority of all the
delegates elected to the convention.
In my campaign / again and again
stated that if the people decided against
me l would have nothing to say; but
that III they decided for me and the
politicians then robbed me of the vic
tory | would not silently and tamely
acquiesce. 1t was already evident that
my opponents. with Mr. Tafts encour-
agement, intended to beat me by foul
means if they could not do so by fair
means.
1.-THE crucial but not the only step
in tie concerted and hitherto success
full effort 10 cheat the people out of the
victory they had fairly won. was taken
! up by the now defunet National eom-
! mittee which, without one show OF
/ justification and with contempt of the
most ordinary rules of deeency i'll maxi
! ing up the temporary roll call. unseat-
ed 30 fairly elected Roosevelt delegates
and substituted for them 30 Taft dele@
gates. who in the convention represents
ed nothing whatever but suceessfut
| fraud.
Il was clearly entitled to all these
90 delegates; all the 80 possessed. for
| iustence, clearer titles than the uncon-
/ tested Taft delegates from New York
city; and as to 20 of them. their titles
We're as HAWKES. as those of any other
| delegates III the convention.
I
MIR Root was elected and Gov. Dil
mems motion for partly cleansing tile
ron Of fraud was defeated, By the vot-
| ing az these 80 fraudulent delegates.
| the last being q vote on a straight
moral issue, the result of which. in
my judgment, ought to render ii inn
possible for any man longer to taks
! cert IN the proceedings of the eonven-
| lion as now constituted.
"The majority in each case was
/ slightly over so. In each ease. theirs
were. if il had not been for the hither-
TO successful rascahty which placed
| these fraudulent delegates on the roll
and permitted them to vote, the Gauss
Of decency would have won; Mr.. Nc
Govern would have been elected in
place of Mr.. Root; Gov. Dineens mo-
ton would have prevailed and the Re-
publican National convention would
now have been exercising in good faith,
the high, honorable and vitality imports
emit functions of honestly representing
the wishes, the judgment and the in
: tesest OF the plain people who make
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