Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-26
Defends Himself From the Attacks
Made Upon Administration.
NOT NECESSARY TO GOVERNMENT
Says that Country Will Be Hurt by
Roosevelt's Nomination,
DECLARES COLONEL IS UNFAIR
Roosevelt Departs From the Rule of
Square Deal Although He Calls
Himself a Sportsman, Says
President Taft,

avoiding personalities in his camnalg,
for denomination and devoted his entir
speech to an attack upJi. Colonel Ro1se
Welt and defense of himself and hi
administration against charges Culo;eI
Roosevelt recently made on the stump.
Mr.. Taft's speech bristled with counter
charges against his predecessor in III,
| White House. He declared that Mr.
Roosevelt had wilfully misrepresente,
him. had falsely distorted some OF hi
public utterances. had failed to live u,
TO his policy Of a square deal and hae
violated a solemn promise to the Ameri
can people not to be a candidate for 4
third term. s- d -..i --.-ea~,,
That promise and his treatment Of Il. :
said Mr., Taft "only throws an inform
ing light on the value that ought nov
to be attached to any promise Of thii
kind he may make for the future"
Declaring that Mr.. Roosevelt "ought
not to be selected as candidate of any
party" Mr.. Taft said that the former
president might now be paving the way
IL successful In the present campaign. tS
remain the chief executive Of the nation
for as many years as his natural life
would permit.
IF he is necessary now to the govern.
ment, why not later?" asked the preei.
dent, and continued:
speaks from the Heart.
i"one who so lightly regards constitu-
nj faf4n nnA ff,, ~. L. l..
pendence of the judiciary; one who so
naturally is impatient OF legal restraints
and of due legal procedure. and who has
so misunderstood what liberty regulated
by law is. conld not safely be intrusted
with successive presidential terms. say
this .sorrowfully. but I say II with the
full conviction OF its truth"
Mr.. Taft referred to some Of Mr.. Roose-
yelt's. charges against him as the loose
and vague Indictment Of one who does
not. know and who depends only upon
second-hand information for hts state.
ment."
Tho president said that his speech to-
'night was ons or me most painful dulles
Of his lie, that II was In response to an
obligation he owed the republican party,
which selected him as Its candidate, and
to the American people, who elected him
president,
Cold. Naked Truth.
III grows" he said. ''out OF a phase
OF national politics and national life that
believe to be unprecedented In our his
tory. So unusual is the exigency that the
ordinary rules Of propriety that limit and
restrict a president In his public adj
dresses must be laid aside and the cold.
naked truth must be stated In such
way that 1t shall serve as warning to
the people Of the United States
Mr.. Taft said that Colonel Roosevelts
Columbus speech, accepted as his plat
form. sent a thrill of alarm through all
the members of the community" Mr..
Roosevelt, he said. then found that II the
nomination were to come to him he must
minimize the Importance OF this Charter
OF democracy and must find some other
issue upon which to succeed. Without
giving up the principles announced in
his Columbus address. the president said
Mr.. Roosevelt relegated them to an In
cidental place and changed his campaign
to one OF criticism Of Taft and the Taft
One by one. the president took I'D
eleven charges made against him by
Colonel Roosevelt and sought to refute
them. In two instances he quoted from
correspondence between himself and Col
onel Roosevelt, and said he was prepared
to make other letters public II Mr. Roose-
velt should desire. ...
states Charges Made.
BY excerpts from my speeches Mr..
Roosevelt has sought to show and has
that / am one who has pub
licly announced that / am In favor Of
an ar1stocracy Of political bosses and
that am linked with political bosses
N seeking my denomination. He charges
that the patronage Of the government is
being shamelessiy used to secure my re-
and that in the conventions
and primaries which have been held.
fraud and violence have been systemat-
cally used to defeat the will of the
people and to secure delegates for me.
He says that | am not a progressive
but reactionary; that | was nominated
by progressives and after election Joined
he ranks Of those who opposed me for
and he intimates that have
lot the spirit Of the progressive, or the
imagination. or the c1ear-headed purpose
'ssential TO the makeup Of such a per-
ion. He says that l am a friend Of the
interests and an upholder Of special priv
iege and that a vote for me is
tote for the interests. and against the
Se0ple. He minimiZes and louts the
Importance Of the laws enacted and the
Executive action taken during my ad-
Thinks Not of Self.
IF In this contest there were at stake
MY my own reputation or the satisfac-
ion OF my own ambition, would without
he slightest qualm and without care as
o the result continue my silence under
hese unjust attacks. I would do So
'ecause Of the personal relations that
ave existed between Mr.. Roosevelt and
ne. my debt Of gratitude to him and nv
nelinaSion. because Of the office hold.
lot to indulge IN personal controversy. /
you'd hope that in the future. near or |
listsnt. facts would Disclose themselves
howins the injustice Of the course he is |
iursuing toward me, and the merciIes. |
Ccontinued on Fourth Page-J