Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-06-04
TO FIGHT ROOT
IN CONVENTION
Roosevelt Issues Statement
Attacking Barnes of New York

that late developments show that Sena.
tor Elihu Root is only the tool of VII
liam Barnes, Jr., and as such cannot be
countenanced for a moment by the pro
gressiyes, Colonel Roosevelt came Out
with a long statement in which he now
declares hat he will bitterly oppose
the selection of Senator Elihu Root as
temporary chairman of the national
convention.
The statement came out after a con
ference at Sycamore Hill which lasted
fully six hours and was attended by
Senator Dixon, the Roosevelt cam
campaign manager; William L. Ward,
national committeeman from New
York; George w. Perkins, Clifford Pin
chot, Medill Mccormick, Truxton
Beale, delegate at large from Califor-
mia; Frank Kellogg, who was Roose-
velt's chief trust buster" and An
drew Raubin, delegate from Mime
sofa
After first discussing Root the colo
mel bitterly assaiIs Barnes and next
proceeds virtually to read the New
@Nt" StatC ithtLCI oIAN IL HoAh
out Of the Republican party, saying
that he QoosevelD represents the be
Hefs of the great ma JOrity of the Re
publican party and that Mr.. Barnes
and Mr.. 1aM represent doctrines 30
bourbon and reactionary that every
northern state where primaries have
been held have repudlated them.
Says Root 10 R~saotionary.
Beginning his statement, Mr.. Roose-
welt says:
In the past Mr.. Root has rendered
distinguished services as secretary of
state and secretary of war. But In this
contest Mr.. Root has ranged himself
against the men who stand for pro
gressiye principles within the Repub-
ltcan party; that is, against the men
who stand for making the Republican
party in relation to the issues of the
present day what 1t was in the days OF
Abraham Lincoln. He stands as the
representative of the men and the
policies Of reaction. He Is put forward
by the bosses and the representatives
OF special privilege.
What has recently come to my
knowledge makes 1t clear that 1t Is a
question of the absolute duty OF every
progressive Republican to oppose the
selection as temporary chairman at
Chicago Of any man put forward in
the interests Of the supporters Of Mr..
Taft In this contest"
Continuing, Mr.. Roosevelt says:
mo progressive delegates can afford
to vote for any man proposed by Mr.
Barnes and his allies, for II such
vote Is against popular rule and
against the basic principle, not merely
of the Republican party, but Of decent
American citizenship. This is not a
faction fight in the ranks Of the Repub-
lican party. 1t Is a fight between the
plain people, the rank and file of the
Republican party, making up the i'm
mense majority of that party, on the
one side and or the other the bosses,
with, back Of them, the great sinister
special interests which are endeavor-
Ing to sustain the cause of privilege by
perpetuating the combination between
crooked politics and crooked business.
Vigorously Attacks Barnes.
ain those cases where the Repub-
lican voters have had q fair chance to
express their convictions" he con
tinues, they have repudiated Mr.. Taft
completely, so that he has been able to
obtain less than one eighth of the dele
gates, his popular vote being only one
In three or four, and In some cases only
one In nine or ten.
The great majority of the Repub-
lican party have unequivocally repudl-
ated Mr.. Taft. If the wishes of the
Republican voters could be given fair
expression Mr.. Taft would have but a
corporal's guard in the convention. I'm
der these circumstances 1t Is fitting
and appropriate that Mr.. Barnes should
be chosen to lead the Taft forces at
Chicago In the effort to override the
expressed wish Of the rank and file of
the party and to give the candidate to
whom the party has explicitly and be-
yond all question repudiated."
Mr.. Roosevelt then refers to Mr..
Barnes statement hat the doctrines
which he advocated are subversive
Of form of government and says:
1.-The doctrines that l have advocated
are, first, the right of the people to
rule, and, second, their duty 30 to rule
as to bring about not merely political,
but also social and industrial Justice
These doctrines are subvsrsivs only
of the form Of government for which
Mr.. Barnes stands; that Is, Of govern
ment by the bosses for the special In
terests. Mr.. Barnes In his preaching
and In his practices embodies boss
rule In it's most offensive form. The
kind OF representative government ne
believes In ia that which the repre-
sentatives shall represent not the PEG
pie, but Mr.. Barnes and the other
bosses. Mr.. Taft's nomination at Chi
cage can only be brought about by
multiplying the will of the people. The
program cannot possibly succeed II
the convention Is left to itself"
Mr.. Roosevelt declares that wherever
it has been possible to choose Taft
delegates in defiance Of the popular
will It has been done and that even
at this moment such an instance Is
afforded by Ohio.
Refers to Fight In Ohio.
"In Ohio" he says, Eat the recent
primaries the majority against Mr.,
Taft's nomination was $4,000. High
r,y,5ad onA haoor.Af> WAN -o,,15