The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-04-05
PLAYING the Game"

ton men, until bare numerical quor-
um but not legal quorum was estab-
lished. Then they proceeded to take
the action set forth. There was not
a semblance of legality in the proceed
ings, yet under the circumstances the
public was powerless to prevent the
outrage Its effect is to deprive the
voters of Kansas of the right to
choose their national delegates, and
leaves the selection to the discredited
bosses of a machine which was sup
posed to have been wrecked long ago.
Debauching Oklahoma.
Another illustration is furnished by
the third district of Oklahoma In
this district when the convention as
sembled the Roosevelt delegates num-
bered GAS and the Taft delegates 10
The Taft men controlled the chairman
and other officers of the district COM
mittee. When the latter found they
sye ere outnum bered they withdrew with
the other 10 Taft delegates and held
telt men, outnumbering the Taft sup
POI tiers nearly four TO one, proceeded
70 elect delegates pledged to support
Theodore Roosevelt. The boiling min
ority elected two delegates pledged to
Taft. Under no principle of right or
justice could the Taft delegates estab-
lish the slightest claim to seats in
The convention But under the organi-
zation system, merely because the dis
trict committee was controlled through
federal office holders by the Taft ad-
ministration, the Taft delegates are
heralded to the country as the regu-
larly elected delegates and the men
chosen by the overwhelming majority
Of regularly chosen district delegates
and directed to support Theodore
Roosevelt must appear before the ma
testants.
If the national committee pursues
organization methods they will be re-
fused admittance to the convention.
Tactics in indiana.
III the first Indiana district, where
former Senator Hemenway directed
the Taft forces, the Roosevelt men
had fifty-two out of ninety-seven mem
bers Of the convention. But here
again the organization controlled the
district chairman and the district
committee proceeded to organize the
convention In behalf of Taft, seating
arbitrarily and without permitting a
vote by the convention, a number of
contesting Taft delegates. The Roose-
velt men could not obtain recognition
and could not make themselves ef-
fective except by resorting to physical
force. Under these conditions they
withdrew from the convention and or
ganized one of their own and elected
their delegates. Although holding a
clear majority of the convention, they
were forced to assume the attitude Of
bolters in order to escape the Taft
steam roller, and the delegates they
have chosen are also classed as con-
testants. The same methods have
been pursued In other districts.
6ieCteo py SOrTupIions
The plain and obvious result OF
these outrageous proceedings is that
of the total number of delegates
claimed for Taft In states where the
Republican party has fighting chance
In the election, nearly all OF them, II
not quite all, have been illegally elect
ed by the exercise of the worst form
of corruption, that which deprives the
voters themselves OF any voice In the
selection of men who will assume tc
represent them in naming a candidate
for the presidency Of the United
States. The continuance of these
methods will In short time disclose
general political conditions IN the
United States more startling ant
more abhorrent than was ever known
before. 1t cannot fail to become evi
dent that conscienceless men con
trolled by patronage, by their Owl
greed for power and by the particular
special interests they represent are
engaged in great conspiracy to stea
from the American people their righ
OF self government. They are pursu
ing a rule or ruin policy, the effect o
which cannot be limited to the disas
ter II will certainly bring to the Re
publican party, but will extend to tn
nation itself. destroying. as nothin,
else has done, confidence In publi
men, In the great business institution
of the country, and in the govern
ment itself Nothing can stop this bu
the aroused conscience OF the voter
themselves and their determination Z
prevent mere political manipulators
backed by money and government ir
fluence, from setting aside and over
riding the real sentiment Of the pull
lie.
Taft Approves Methods.
Showing how thoroughly in symps
thy with these methods are the Tai
managers and the president himself
the former recently made public di:
patch from E. l. Morse, one OF III
Taft managers IN Missouri. respectin
the situation In one congressional dii
trict of that state. The dispatch says
Congressional committee whic
makes roll OF convention is evenly d
.1~trAfft~n a on