New-York tribune., 1912-04-20
TO ANSWER ROOSEVELT
President Will Reply to Crltl-
CiSmS and Attacks.
HE MAY MENTION NAMES
To Abandon Attitude of Silence
on Advice of Friends-Mc-
Kinley Replies to Dixon.

WASHINGTON April 19.-President Taft
has decided to abandon his attitude OF
silence under the severe criticism when
Colonel Roosevelt has made Of him In cam
paign speeches. and in some Of his next
public addresses will reply 10 the colonel.
probably mentioning him Ay name.
This was positively stated to-day by those
in close touch with the President, and 1t Is
said Mr.. Taft made his decision only after
repeated urging by some Of the leaders OF
his campaign. In the last day or two the
President has told his friends. it Is said.
that the time had come for him to mention
names and reply to the attacks upon him.
President Taft will invade Massachusetts,
the next big state TO hold Presidential pref
erence primaries. According to an an
nouncement made at the White House %
night he will spend next Thursday speaking
in Springfield. Worcester and Boston The
Massachusetts primaries will be held on
April 30 Close friends OF the President eX-
pect him on this trip to break his silence
under the criticisms OF Colonel Roosevelt
The President IL expected TO attend the
memorial exercises for the late Major Cen
eral Frederick Dent Grant on Governors
Island on Friday morning, go TO Newark.
n. J., that afternoon, spend the night and
part OF the next day in Newark, and speak
Saturday night 10 the Union League Club
OF Philadelphia.
In reply TO Senator DiXon's statement
that there were defections in the ranks of
the Taft delegates. Director Mckinley OF
the national Taft bureau said to-day:
Senator Joseph VI. Dixon. manager Of the
dora
for a third term as President. has an
nounCed that some delegates in South caro-
lima, instructed by conventions OF the!r
party 10 vote for President Tart IoI re-
nomination, Will vote for Theodore Roose-
welt II Ornsby McEarg. who Is now III
the South for no other purpose thah 10
persuade men 10 dishonoraole acts, can
find any OF that calibre in that secuoll m W
the country the sooner the country knows
IL the better At least two or the men
named by Senator Dixon as changing thelr
allegiance are not listed on any known
table OF delegates or accredited 10 ahS
known convention yet held.
Granting merely for the sake OF argument
that the allegations of Senator DIXON ". M.ot VI
respect to the South Carolina delegates
are correct the question naturally arises
IL instructions are not binding IN South
Carolina why are they any more blnulh6
in Oklahoma, Illinois, Pennsylvania OF
Maine? In Oklahoma no primary was heIu'
and federal office holders helped Mr.. koost-
Welt win the state as was admitted by
Senator Dixon himself in ii recent state
ment. -, .t.,.,,,
In Illinois and Pennsylvania the primary
vote even under state law, Is merely az
yisory" and does not INSTRUCT a slhsie
delegate to do more than consider the PIT
mary vote I'm reaching his decision. vi
course. the delegates elected from these
state. may bc expected as honorable men,
to abide by the primary vote although IL
is not as morally binding upon them as
the vote Of the state convention OF SouIn
Carolina, which instructed It's delegates
10 vote for President Taft.
Still granting. for the sake OF argument,
that Mr Dixon IS correct IN his assertions
as 10 tho South Carolina delegates. whiGn
/ do not believe. how far would honorahe
men of the North 90 with dlsh0noidpls
men in the South. or vice versa RIO" ldI
would honorable men OF the East go WIN
dishonorahle men Of the West, or Woo
versa? Does Mr.. Roosevelt honestly eN-
pect 10 be nominated at chicago py CON-
hinatlon OF honorable men and dlshonoI
ablo mon. one backed by state oi hnn's.
electors and the other b" a wall Slie't
syndicate. one the honorable men tru"
10 their moral obligations. and the othct,
tho disbonorable men. false 20 th~'r pleds",,
word false 10 the principles OF honesty aun
decency and traitors to tho prncipie OF '"e
deal'y