The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-26
Lays Aside Policy of Avoid
ing Personalities and
Goes for Roosevelt.
DECLARES THAT ROOSEVELT
HAS WlLFULLY MlSREPRE-
sENTED HIM, HAD FALSELY
DISTRACTED SOME OF HIS PUB
Lie UTTERANcEs AND HAD
FAILED TO LIVE UP TO HIS
POLICY OF A SQUARE DEAL.
ey Associated Press.


Boston April 25.-President Taft to-
night cast aside his policy Of avoiding
personalities in his campaign for re-
termination and devoted his entire
speech to an attack upon Col. T1eo-
dore Roosevelt and a defense OF him
self and his administration against
charges Col. Roosevelt recently mas
made on the stump.
Mr.. Taft's speech bristled with
counter charges against his predeces-
sor in the White House. He declared
that Mr.. Roosevelt had wilfully mis-
represented him, had falsely distorted
some of his public utterances. had
failed to live up to his policy of a
square deal and had violated solemn
promise to the American people not to
be a candidate for a third term.
That promise and his treatment OF
it." said Mr.. Taft, only throw an Ia
forming light on the value that ought
now to be attached to any promise OF
this kind he may make in the fu-
ture.'
WOULD REMAIN If HE COULD.
Declaring that Mr.. Roosevelt Ought
not to be selected as a candidate or
any party" Mr.. Taft said that the
former president might now be paving
the way, II successful in the present
campaign, to remain the chief execu-
tive of the nation for as many terms
as his natural life would permit
IF he is necessary now to the gov
ernm ent, why not later?" asked the
president and continued:
zone who so lightly regards consti-
tutlonal principles and especially the
independence OF the judiciary, one who
IS so naturally impatient OF legal re-
ctr aints and OF due legal procedure and
who has so misunderstood what liberty
regulated by law is, could not safely
be entrusted with successive presi-
Dental terms. / say this sorrowtully.
but say It with the fun conviction Of
its truth"
TEDDY DOESN'T KNOW.
Mr.. Taft referred to some of Mr.
Rcosevelt's charges against him as the
loose and vague Indictment OF one
who doesn't know and who depends
only upon second hand information for
hts statement"
The president said his speech to-
night was one OF the most painful
duties of his life, that it was in re-
sponse to an obligation he owed the
Republican party which selected him
as its candidate, and to the American
people who elected him president
TT grows" he said, "out OF a phase
Of national politics and national life
that / believe to be unprecedented in
our history. SO unusual IS the exi-
gency that the ordinary rules of pro-
pTiety that limit a president in his
public addresses must be laid aside
and the cold, naked truth must be
stated In such a way that II shall
serve as warning to the people OF
the United States.
Mr.. Taft said Col Roosevelt's Co.
lumhus speech, accepted as his plat
form, sent a thrill Of alarm through
al the members of the community" /"
Mr. Roosevelt. he said, then found that
x the nomination were to come TO him
ne must minimize the Importance of
this charter Of Democracy" With
cut giving UP the principles announced
IN his Columbus address, the president
said Mr.. Roosevelt relegated them to
Oh. incidental place and changed his
campaign to one of criticism of Taft
and the Taft administration.
MAKE OTHER LETTERS PUBLIC.
One by one the president took up
eleven charges made against him by
Col Roosevelt and sought to refute
them. In two instances he quoted
from correspondence between himself
and Col Roosevelt and said he was
prepared to make other letters public
Il Mr.. Roosevelt should desire.
BY excerpts from my speeches Mr.
Roosevelt has charged that I am one
who has publicly announced that / am
IN favor OF an aristocracy of political
bosses and that | am linked with DO
htical bosses in seeking my re-nomi-
nation. He charges that the patronage
OF the government is being shameless
~ used to secure my denomination
ano that In the conventions and prim-
aries which have been held fraud and
violence have been systematically used
10 defeat the will of the people. He
eays i am a reactionary; that 1 was
nominated by Progressives and after
election Joined the ranks Of those who
opposed me for nomination; and ht
fntimates that l have not the spirit o
the Progressive. or the imagination
or the clear headed purpose essentia
10 the makeup of such a person. H,
says that l am a friend of the inter
Continued on Third PaRe)