Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-06-18
Ex-President Roosevelt, in Address
in Chicago, Insists Great Moral
Issue is Involved.
He STANDS FOR DECENCY
Great Fundamental Right of People
to Rule at Stake.
WHY HE BECAME CANDIDATE
Says His Successor Surrendered to
Professional Bosses.
CONDEMNS NATIONAL COMMITTEE
He Holds it is No Longer Servant
of fha portv
CONDEMNS NATIONAL COMMITTEE
He Holds it is No Longer Servant
of the Party.
HOUR OF GREAT TEST AT HAND
Lineup in This Crisis is One that
Cuts Deep Into the Foundations
of the Government-What
May Happen.

CHICAGO, June 17,-Colonel Roosevelt
tonight addressed a mass meeting in
Chicagos largest theater. His speech in
part was as follows:
my friends and fellow citizens | ad-
dress you as my fellow republicans, but
low Americans, fellow citizens, for this
has now become much more than an
ordinary party fight. The issue is both
simpler and larger than that involved
in the personality of any man, or than
that involved in any factional or in
any ordinary party contest. We are
standing for the great fundamental
rights upon which all successful free
government must be based. We are
standing for elementary decency in
politics. We are fighting for honesty
against naked robbery; and where rob-
berry is concerned the all important ques-
tion is not the identity of the man rob-
bed, but the crime itself
Civilization Itself in Danger.
"As far as Mr.. Taft and l are per-
sonally concerned, it littre matters what
the fate of either may be. But with
Mr. Taft's, acquiescence or by his direc-
ton, and in his interest his followers
have raised an issue which is all i'm
portant to this country. 1t is not a
partisan issue; it Is more than a political
issue; it is great moral issue. If we
condone political theft, if we do not
resent the kind of wrong and injustice
that iniuriously affect the whole nation,
not merely our democratic form of gov
crnment, but our civilization itself can
not endure. If the methods adopted by
the national committee are approved by
the convention which is about to as
semble, great crime will have been
committed. The triumph of such pro-
ceedings at the moment would mean
the wreck of the republican party, and
if such proceedings became habitual 1t
would mean the wreck Of popular gov
crnment. The actions of the Taft lead
crs in the national committee, taken
WITH the active aid of Mr.. Taft's private
secretary and one of Mr.. Taft's cabinet
officers, are monstrous and they should
be Indignantly condemned by the moral
sentiment of the whole country.
why He Came Forth.
when in February last l made up my
mind that it was my duty to enter this
fight, it was after long and careful
delberation. | had become convinced
that Mr. Taft had definitely and COM
pletely abandoned the cause of the people
and had surrendered himself wholly to
the buildings of the professional political
bosses and of the great privileged i'll
terests standing behind them. l had
also become convinced that unless | did
make the fight it could not be made at
all and that Mr.. Taft's nomination would
come to him without serious opposition.
THE event that justified both my be-
liefs | very earnestly ask our fellow
progressiles who have supported other
candidates to remember that one of the
cardinal principles of the doctrines which
we hold in common is our duty normally,
Loyalty and in good faith to abide by the
we'll thought-out and honestly expressed
action of majority. The overwhelm-
ing majority of the republican progress
ives have declared for me. 1t has be-
come clear beyond shadow of doubt that
If | had not made the progressive fight
it would have completely broken down
and there would have been no sub
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