The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-23
THOSE ROOSEVELT ELECroRs.

As Chester I. Long, one of the at
torneys for the Taft forces in the sew
| eraI proceedings that have been
brought to prevent the Roosevelt
electors from having a place on the
Republican ticket this fall, points out,
| if none of these suits is successful
such Republicans in Kansas who are
| disposed to vote for the reelection of
President Taft will be disfranchised.
And this would be to the eternal dis
grace of a great state.
Suggestions have been made that if
there is no legal redress against the
efforts of the Bull Moosers in this state
to steal the livery and the machinery
of the Republican party, that a set of
Taft electors should be named by Pc
tition and given a place on the ballots
in an independent" column. They are
ridiculous, and are not even being con-
sidered seriously by the Taft leaders,
as Senator Long states
1t would be an insult to President
Taft and the great Republican party of
the nation to run him as an ''inde-
pendent" candidate for president in
Kansas. He is the candidate of the
Republican party Governor Stubs
and a few of his friends in Kansas
Eeem to be alone in the position they
nave taken that Colonel Roosevelt is
he Republican nominee for the presi-
dency Colonel Roosevelt assuredly
does not hold to any such view. He
points out on every possible occasion
that his new party is separate and dis
tinct from any existing party. He de-
clares it has nothing in common with
either of the old predominant parties.
This is the stand that his friends all
gas and California
And even in this state there are
many erstwhile Republicans, that
have listened to the strange call of the
Bull Moose, who are not in sympathy
with the ideas of Governor Stubs
Arthur Capper, Bill White and Henry
Allen and their admirers. They are
beginning to be outspoken in their be-
lief that there is nothing OF fairness in
the plan to give the Roosevelt cleo
tors a place on the Republican ticket.
They hold that none but Taft
electors are entitled to a place on the
Republican ticket. The Roosevelt
electors, they think, and rightly so,
are the ones who should appear in an
independent column.
AS far as the thousands of Republi-
cans in Kansas who are favorable to
the reelection of President Taft are
concerned, there is likely not to be a
single one who is so rabid in his an
tagonism to Colonel Roosevelt that he
would wish to deny any one in Kansas,
who so desires, from voting for him
for president. Such way to make
this possible that would be fair and
honest has always been open to the
Roosevelt followers in this state. It
is the one that has been followed in |
practically every other state in the |
Union. 1t lies in the organization of |
= new and independent party here that
will be a part and parcel Of the Bull |
Moose party.
But no! The Roosevelt leaders in |
this state promulgated their plan of |
flching the places belonging to Taft
electors on the ballot because most of |
them were candidates Cor nominations !
for one office or another. They knew if |
they broke away from the Republican |
party there would have been small |
chance of their realizing their own
selfisI. ambitions.
If there is no equity in the law to |
Illustrate them as far as the Roosevelt |
electors" are concerned, the law is /
truant to righteousness.