Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-27
Col. Roosevelt Evidently
Displeased with Pres. Taft.

+
Worcester, Mass, April 26 Merci-
less denunciations OF President Taft
was COL Roosevelt's reply, tonight, to
the Presidents attack upon him, yes
terday Some of Col Roosevelrs as
seItion were.
That President Taft had not given
the people of the country a Square
deal" but that. owing TO equality
of feebleness' he had yielded to the
bosses and the great privileged in
terests."
That one part of the Presidents at
tack upon him was THE crookedest
kind of deal and deliberate mis-
representation.
That the President has not merely
in, thought, word and deed been dis
loyal to our past friendship, but has
been disloyal to every canon of ordi-
nary deeency and fair dealing such rs
should obtain even in dealing with d
mans bittcrest opponents
That the Presidents statement re-
garding the influence of federal Of
ficeholders in the campaign was Not
only an untruth, but ii is an absurd
That Mr.. Taft convicted himself of
insincerity when lie signed the Payne
Aldrich tariff bill.
That in speaking of Col. Roosevelt's
position in regard to the trust prob
lem President Taft is himself guilty
of crooked deal.
Col. Roosevelt took up President
Taft's attack upon point by point.
iiaying the President IN one scathing
sentence after another. His speech in
part was as follows
In this campaign ! regard the is
sues at stake as altogether too ini-
portant TO permit il 10 be twisted into
one of personalities between Presi-
dent Taft and myself. But MIR. Taft S
speeches. yesterday. contained state
ments that ! must answer Most of
what he said needs no comment from
me. When, for instance. he says that
1 have endeavored to minimize the i'm
portance of my Columbus speech he
saws what he must know to be un-
true.
Again when Mr. Taft in any speech
speaks of me directly or obliquely as
neutrotic, or q demagogue or in SINH
lar terms ! shall say nothing except
tn point out that il he feels Obliged
to use such language he would better
preserve his own self-respect by not
protesting that it gives him pain to
do so. No man resorts to epthets
like these II 1t really gives him pain
TO use them. | have never alluded to
him in terms even remotely resemb-
ling these. / have never quoted his
private letters or private communica-
TONS i have discussed exclusively
his public actions. Even where | was
obliged to be severe, / was always
parliamentary. and never hypocritical.
Nor do ! intend. today, to deyiate from
this standard. although the Presidents
speech makes it necessary for me to
speak more plainly on certain subjects
than | have yet spoken"
Col. Roosevelt Areferred to President
Taft's explanation of his statement
that ours is government OF all of
the people by representative part OF
the people,
For him to try said Col. Roose-
welt. ito escape the consequences of
his statements by saving that he al
luoed only to women and children is
trifling with the intelligence of the
people. To speak of such action on
his part as a square deal is the
ing to dodge the consequence by de-
liberate Misrepresentation of that
statement
Col Roosevelt repeated the asser-
tinn that President Taft as a member