New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-28
DenounceS Elections Here as
"CriminaI Farce" and Says
Methods Were "WorSe
than TWeed'S."
ATTACKS TAFT MANAGERS
Will Have Much to Say, He De-
clares, if People Decide
Against Us as Result of
Juggling of Their
Rights by "Infa-
nous Methods"

velts most singing campaign speech
thus far was delivered here tonight.
He bitterly denounced his opponents and
charged the Taft managers with using
fraud and trickery TO defeat him.
Colonel Roosevelt said 1t was fight
ing speech II was delivered 10 throng
which packed the Auditorium an1
cheered him enthusiastically. The pri-
maries in New York yesterday furnished
the text for his speech. He declared
that they were "a criminal farce, ana
cited many instances in which he said
his opponents had resorted TO practices
worse than Tweed's."
He expressed the belief that in ths
great majority of the districts CT the
country the people were with him and
that the opposition was attempting to
defeat him by methods which he char
acterized as Infamous"
az the people decide the present contest
tho way think they ought not to do"
he said, ~ will think they are unwiso,
hut will have nothing to say. But II
they decide against US as result OF the
iuaaIina Of their rights by the bosses,
then will have a good deal to say"
He Doesn't Want To Be King.
Colonel Roosevelt turned aside from
his prepared speech from time to time.
In one of his sallies he discussed state
rnents that he hopes 10 be dictator
There isn't much danger to the peo-
pie" he said, from a man who can do
nothing unless he can persuade them
that what he wants is right am going
10 make one remark l have often been
tempted TO make, but never have made
before. Occasionally my gloomy foes
| have said that / wanted TO be king l
wanted TO answer that they did not know
kings, and ! did. like the kings have
net, but I don't want 10 be one, because
| the function of those kings, expressed
| in the terms OF democracy, would be the
! position of Vice President for life, with
the leadership of the -Four Hundred
thrown in l think there are other jobs
| that full sized man would prefer"
Chicago gave the ex-President a lively
welcome. Crowds cheered him at the
station when he arrived and whenever
| he appeared during the nine hours of his
stay here. The Auditorium was large
enough to hold only part of those who
sought admission. Though two other
meetings were held, many persons who
wished to hear Colonel Roosevelt were
! unable TO do so.
When Colonel Roosevelt entered the
| building the people rose with cheer.
| For two minutes the cheering continued,
and his speech was frequently interrupt.
ed by applause.
Fighting Speech" on Primaries.
In his speech on the New York pri-
maries he said:
The fundamental issue in this fight is an
| issue Of honesty, decency, fair play. Have
| the people the right to rule? Have the
masses of the Republican party, the rank
| and file, the plain people in whom Abraham
| Lincoln trusted, the right to express their
| will as to who the nominee for President
| shall be, or are they 10 be bullied and de-
! nation TO be intrusted 10 the represent-
| atiyes OF political and financial privilege,
| the representatives OF the powers or pillage,
| the men who, with the backing ot Dig
| crooked business, work through the lowest
kind OF political machinery and count on
the silence support OF every newspaper
| that is owned or controlled by or directly
or indirectly responsive TO those great
financial powers that work In the dark
Now, I arl using strong language. be-
cause only strong language Will describe
the facts as they actually are. l shall give
details This is not an ordinary facuonal
fight Il is far more important even than
any ordinary Rsry tbe s seoee are
fit and able TO govern themselves, or
whether they are 10 be governed by those
machine politicians whose close alliance
produced nine-tenths OF the corruption and
scandal OF American public HE.
Calls Taft Methods Infamous"
Colonel Roosevelt said that in many
parts of the country the opposition was
counting for success on methods which
can only characterize as Infamous" He
asserted that President Taft had com-
mitted himself to the doctrine Of the
rule of the people by "a representative
part of the people" He continued:
In pursuit Of this theory OF government
the Presidents political fortunes are now
committed to the political machines in the
various states which are led and controlled
by men like Mr. Tawney In Minnesota,
Mr. Keeling in Indiana. Mr.. Penrose IN
PENNSYLVANIA, Ballinger IN Washington,
Messrs. Barnes and Koenig in New York.
Mr.. GalIinRcr I'm New Hampshire, Messrs
Guggenheim and Evans IN Colorado Mr.
Aldrich in Rhode Island, Mr., Cox IN ONO
and Mr.. Lorimer in Illinois. These are me
men who, when his theory is Translator
into actual practice, actually appear az
that representative part OF the peopte
which is 10 govern all the rest OF the peo-
Pile
Refers to koenis as "Figurehead.
Colonel Roosevelt then turned TO the
primary election in New York yesterday
70 substantiate his charges. He re-
ferred 10 Samuel Koenig, president oi
the New York County Republican com
mittee. as a "figurehead," and SAID ne
was "simply doing the bidding OF the
stronger men behind him. some OF those
stronger men appearing In the open ana
othars being the big sinister figures that
are never seen in the hght OF day' he
went on:
pe,ore the election took place denouncea
4, as a criminal farce. because unuei ano
wicked law WHICH haa machines IGss of Of the two
,or,,.s Mr. Keonig had been gwen tno
riaht pisih 10 name all the inspectors az Ine pri
mary election IN used .se That that right to throw
ant an n,.ar q hundred of the inspectors SIN.
niy because It was known that the' rws,y
snynporting the Roosevelt ticket Ese,s ,a,
inspector kept was an anti-No'