The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-06-13
JOHNSON PROPOSED
MS MITE
ON BIOL TICKET

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republican party is an instrument for
good government which it is wicked
lightly to destroy.
Alabama is entitled to twenty
four delegates In the convention. As
Regards several of the districts where
there have been contests it is my sim
Icere belief that the right was as
much on our side as on the side of
our opponents, But in these districts
There was room for honest doubt, and
talking the matter over with Senator
Dixon, we both agreed to advise the
Roosevelt members of the national
Icommfttee to support no contest in
any district where there was room for
Reasonable doubt as to the right of the
Roosevelt delegates to be seated. Ac-
lcordingly in all the Alabama districts
lin question the Roosevelt men in the
national committee voted with the
majority, and this in spite of the
fact, as II ave already said, we regard
the claims of the Roosevelt men in
certain Of these districts as being as
good as those Of the opponents.
Sets Forth His Case.
But in the Ninth .Alabama district
two Roosevelt delegates had been I'M
questionably elected. The facts are
las follows: The republican commit
tee of this district, composed of thirty
members, met to cali the convention.
Eighteen members were favorable to
my candidacy, twelve to Mr.. Taft's.
The Taft men conceded that this was
lshe regular district committee and be-
l,gan by participating in the meeting,
Ibut as soon asrit developed that the
(Rooevelt men We're in the majority
THE twelve Taft men left the meeting
land called a convention of their own,
leaving eighteen members, o clear
majority of the regular committee
Ito call athe regular convention in
which the Roosevelt delegates were
named. No seri us evidence was
presented before the national com.
mittee to co%ntravene theSe facts
1.-THE contest against these two regu.
llarly elected Roosevelt delegates had
! literally no foundation whatever
even Of the most f1imsy description
. There was no more ground for un'
seating these delegates than there
, would be. for example, in uneatine
the Taft delegates from Rhode Is
3 land, or in any district in any state
! where there is no contest whatever
: Yet the national committeeman who
supported Mr.. Taft voted to unseat
the two men properly elected and tt
: seat in the national convention two
men, who, as l have said, literally
have NO more right to appear as dele.
ulgates in that convention than they
-have to apepar in the democratic ma
tional conventiof. They represent
! nothing whatever in the republicaI
party except the determination o.
. certain members of the national com
3 mites, who have themselves beer
, repudiated by the republican party
THAT the majority Of the party shall,
not be permitted to decide whom they
! wish to be the nominee for president
Lack of Federal Laws.
"Now l wish to call the attention
elnot only of all good republicans, bu,
of all good citizens. to just what thi.
type of action means. AS yet there
. il no law to govern national nom
4 inating conventions as there is tt
tIgovern national elections,1 although
lin certain states the nomination d
candidates Ia carried on under thu
FLAW Of those states precisely as are
4 1.-THE elections. al
II. Because Of this lack Of federa
Flaw, acts which, II. done to influence
elections would be criminal, can BIZ
appropriated with impunity SO far al
Irrational nominations are concerned
4 hut this IL a differences in legality and
not in morality. Again and again we
. have sent to the %penitentiary cleo.
! tion oficers for deeds morally not q
whit worse than was done by the
members OF the national committee
a,,who unseated the two proper dele
lgates IN this Ninth district Of Ala
fbama and substituted for them men
who have no right to vote in the ma.
ltional convention than a repeater has
to vote at an election. The majority
. OF the committeeman thus voted to
seat in the republican convention
men who have no shadow of right to
present any portion of the republi.
can party and who have no more
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