The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-17
NICHOLS REPEATS CHARGE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BOUGHT BY THE TAFT SIDE
N Hot Retort Replies To Letter
of Chairman Leonard Refus-
ing Preference Primary
IS AFRAID OF PUBLICITY
What Taft People Fear, Says
Nichols Publicity Like That
In Illinois and Pennsylvania

Charles A. Nichols made reply,
Tuesday, TO the letter of Oryiee r.
Leonard who refused to abide by the
suggestion of Mr.. Nichols to hold an
informal presidential preference pri-
mary In the First congressional dis
trict for the selection OF two delegates
70 the national Republican conyen-
ton. In an interview with The Times,
the chairman OF the Michigan Reese.
welt committee characterized the let.
Ter OF the chairman of the congress.
Elonal- committee as-iasultiHg- and
containing misstatements He said
"Mr. Oryiee X. Leonard, chairman
OF the first district Republican con-
gressional committee, must feel keen.
~ the nasty position he is in when he
has to obey the Taft managers in
their regular policy Of refusing the
people a chance to vote for president.
II have been told the summit or
all human virtue Is TO be able to judge
your own case impartially. | can see
II was too much to expect Mr.. Leon
ard to be fair to the public. Hurting
insults at me makes his case no bet
ter. He was in conference with the
Taft managers in the Majestic build
snf Yesterday afternoon and probably
received his orders. His answer,
note. makes no reference to the In
formal primary that was held when
Allan HI. Frazer and DR.. Z. w. Haas
were elected delegates to the national
convention some years ago. Mr..
Leonard claims familiarity with the
Taft campaign, claiming that | had
been a party to an agreement IN the
seventeenth ward Mr.. Leonards
abatement on the matter was false. he
claims 10 Know so much about what
the Taft people are doing, perhaps ne
a also aware that some delegates
elected as Roosevelt men to the last
county convention were purchased oy
the Taft people after they were elect
ed. Perhaps, also, Mr.. Leonard mas
read the AFFIDAVIT of Patrolman van
Antwerp In the second precinct OF the
Fifth ward on caucus day, and VINO
states under oath that Taft men tolu-
ed a bunch OF ballots in his presence
and put them In the box and laughed
AZ the policeman when he said tnat
he had been instructed to stay In the
booth from 4 until s o'clock.
"Mr. Leonard says in asking TOT q
primary l seek publicity. | take IL
that he means he doesn't want tnat
Mind of publicity. / don't blame MIN.
He knows IL we had primary the
Taft people would get the same KIND
or publicity they got in Illinois ana
Pennsylvania, and that kind or pub
Iicfty. showing as II does, what the
people want, would absolutely Kill any
chance the Taft people have In this
carnpaiRn. NY letter to the commit
tee was a respectful communication.
7 do not Believe that all the members
az that committee would endorse the
snarl emitted by Mr.. Leonard In re-
turn" E
Two delegates from the FIRST con-
gressional district to the Repubncan
national, convention and two alter
mates will be chosen at the distrlct
convention Tuesday, April 70, at Con-
cofdia hall at IL a. m. Caucuses 10
elect delegates to the district con-
yehtion will be held Monday April ~.
from p. m. until p. m. Arrange
ments for the convention and eau
cuses were made Monday night by the
district committee at meeting held
In the once or Chairman 0. II. Leon
ard.
The letter of Charles A. Nichols,
state chairman of the Roosevelt com
mittee, proposing that the district
delegates be chosen at a primary
election instead of by caucus and con-
vehtion was discussed and letter
sifned by Chairman Leonard, was
frAmed and sent to Mr.. Nichols, re-
jecting his proposal.
Chairman Leonard's letter criticises
Nichols suggestion as being entirely
unauthorized by law and says that
the committee can only follow the
cali OF the national committee, which
provides for precinct caucuses. The
letter charges that Nichols began the
Roosevelt campaign In Wayne coun.
" six weeks before anything was
done for the president and appeared
satisfiedate work with the caucus sys-
ten until the results OF the caucuses
showed only handful of Roosevelt
delegates"
The letter further declares that
.ahy Republican may vote at the
caucus and register his will, II he
chooses to do so and that II he does
not so choose, Is not tho fault of the
diatrict committee"