The Daily Missoulian., 1912-04-22
THE REASON FOR 1T ALL

When the governor of Pennsylvania Taft machine man
was asked for his explanation OF the political landslide
in his state he said to the reporter who propounded the
question: 1T all be summed up in word
Roosevelt"
That explanation to the extent that the people
they know to be right Roosevelt the man, is merely
to the people honest champion of just To the
extent that he stands for this cause and that the people
know they trust him--the voters for him.
Ii is avorite line of talk with the opponents Of Mr.
Roosevelt endeavor make this personal They
don't like to discuss the principle which is stake-they
avoid and evade it all they
The campaign between only as two repre-
sent two widely divergent principles OF government In
this instance these two men happen to be Mr. Taft and Mr.
Roosevelt The people are for Mr. Roosevelt because he is
honest and they know it, they against Mr. Taft because
they have learned they trust him and because they
do not like the company he keeps.
For this the people, wherever the primary gives
them the opportuny are declaring for Roosevelt as the
The only expression against Roosevelt has from states
where the privileged interests have been able through
troll of political machinery to gag the people and handpck
the delegations
month ago, there were not many people in the United
States who felt that Mr. Roosevelts victory would be as
complete as it has been They hoped he might win but
there has been.
Dazed, amazed and staggered, the machine men have
seen @ state after state swing into the Roosevelt column
They have witnessed the triumph Of the peoples attack
upon the citadel OF special privilege.
And all they can say is what the governor Of Pennsy
vana said-"lt's Roosevelt"
Even yet they able to realize that it not man
but principle which is winning this victory.
Colonel Roosevelt into the situation personally
but the champion Of the principle which the people know
is right The people heard him the arguments
and tell the truths which they had been thinking
for themselves from their reading and their experience
They trusted him because he had always trdsed them and
because ne stood for the things which right He had
fought their battles and he bore which he had
ceved in their He had the experience he had the
ability; ne had the courage; and he knew the game
And he has made the people understand He has told
the hat this government is longer in the hands of the
people-save nomnayand he has showed them that the
government is being by private interests for special
privilege.
He has shown the people the control of the governments
branches which these interests weld-how the control of
the courts makes possible for the rich maefactor to es
cape the punishment for his crimes and how legislation is
thWared which has for its purpose the improvement of the
condition of the workingman.
he has shown the people, that the interests have
CURED all this power through their manipulation of the DO
lcal boSSeS how the whom the people have elected
as their servants have betrayed their trsteeshp how they
have ceased to represent the people but have become the
tools of the interests
And he has shown further that the people have the
power to remedy these condons that the primary election
gives them the for segovernment which the con-
vcnton system denies them.
And the people have heard and have understood SO we
have Illinois and Pennsylvania shake off the chains
which have bound them; we have seen Maine come into
line we have heard from Nebraska from Oregon and from
West Virginia
And the news which comes from these states will be
echoed from other commonwealth.
The final returns will tell Of the nomination of Theodore
Roosevelt OF the salvation OF great nation and of the
redemption OF its people