Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-03
TAFTAND ROOSEVELT
President Hits the Colonel Hard
Licks in Boston Speech

tives and his sincerity Of statemen
and purpose.
But 1 am presented with this diff
ficulty. represent a cause. I stand
for wise progress in governmental af'
fairs, and in the improvement Of the
condition of all the people that the Re.
publican party stands for. I am the
titular leader of that movement and
the substantial and sane legislation oi
my administration vindicates its exist
ence and continuance. The supporters
of this cause look to me to see to II
that it is not seriously injured by the
unjust, unfounded charges against me
and by the adroit appeal to discomfort
and class hatred that Mr.. Roosevelt Is
now making to the public. They fee
that by such charges and appeals Mr.
Roosevelt has clouded the real and
critical issues OF the campaign and has
mislead a great many good and patriotic
people of the country to his support
because no one has answered them as
they ought to be answered. They think
am the only one whose position Is
such as to make an answer effective;
that as the president whose admins
tration is attacked, as the titular head
Of the Republican party whose integ-
rity is threatened, and as the man
whose character is aspersed, I must
meet Mr.. Roosevelt's attacks, however
unpleasant may be personal contro-
versy with one whom in the past
have greatly admired and loved, and
whose present change Of attitude Is the
source of the saddest disappointment.
Mr.. Roosevelt prides himself on be-
ing a true sportsman and he likes to
take from the rules and language of,
maxims to be applied to life in general.
1.-The maxim which he has exalted
above all others, to which he has given
currency the country over, and which
he himself in his conduct Of life wishes
to have it thought he exemplifies, is
that Every man is entitled to a square
deal. I propose to examine the charges
he has made against me, and to ask
you whether in making them he Is
giving me a square deal"
In detail Mr.. Taft dealt first with the
statement by Col Roosevelt in his Car
negie Hall address, in which the colo
nei said: Mr.. Taft fairly defines the
issue when he says that our govern
ment is, and should be, a government
Of all the people by a representative
part of the people. That Is an excellent
and moderate description Of an oligar-
chy. It defines our government as a
government Of all Of the people by a
few people" In reply Mr.. Taft said:
"The excerpt which Mr.. Roosevelt
uses is taken from my speech at To-
ledo. 1t is garbled. did not say this
should be- a government Of all the
people by a representative part of the
people. said, 1T Is thus apparent that
ours Is a government Of all the people
by a representative part Of the people
And it Is. The context shows clearly
what l meant had pointed out that
the government was by popular vote;
that the voters did not include the wo-
men and children; that in number the
voters were less than one-fourth Of all
the people, and that their action was
the action of their majority; so that the
government was controlled not by all
the people, but by a representative part
Of the people, to-wit, majority Of the
adult males. Does Mr.. Roosevelt deny
this fact? I pointed out the fact that
this popular government Of ours Is
government by the adult voting males
in order to show the necessity for con-
stitutional restrictions to protect the
nonvoters among the people against
the possible injustice and aggression OF
majority of the voters.
WAS it honest-was it fair-of
Theodore Roosevelt to seize one sem
tence from a speech, to garble 1t, and
then to give 1t a meaning which he
knew from the context it could not
bear? Do the just people Of Massa-
chusetts approve such method Of war
fare? Do they think that in carrying II
on Mr.. Roosevelt is giving his success
or a square deal?"
Cites RooseveIt's Connection.
Mr.. Taft next took up what he term
ed the unfair" charge that he was In
favor of an oligarchy of bosses.
He (Col RoosevelD says that all the
bosses are in my favor and all Of them
against him. That is not true. BY his
association with William Finn OF
Pittsburgh there is being restored tc
power in that city and in Pennsylva-
MIA one of the worst municipal bosses
that the history of that state knows
Mr.. Roosevelt's chief supporter in Ohio
today is Walter Brown, the only boss
in full commission in that state, and
who is looking forward to state contro
under Mr.. Roosevelt's administration
He charges me with association with
Mr. Barnes of New York, while he Is
silent as to the support and advice he Is
receiving from Mr.. William Ward OF
the same state. Mr.. Roosevelt knows
that in 1910 but for the support he re-
ceived from my friends as against Mr.
Barnes and Mr.. Ward, he would no,
have been nominated as temporary
chairman of the New York convention
The president said Mr.. Roosevelt re-
Gently had dragged in the name of Sen
ator Crane of Massachusetts, in an un.
friendly way He warmly defended Mr.
Crane and said that three times Mr.
Roosevelt had invited Mr.. Crane into
his cabinet, and that furthermore, Mr.
Roosevelt had invited Senator Crane
to manage his presidential campaign II
1904. Mr.. Taft added:
Mr.. Crane does not support Mr.
Roosevelt and he must be condemned
The truth with respect to me is thu
same as it is with respect to Mr.. Roose'
welt. When am running for the pres
idency l gratefully accept such supper
as comes to me. Mr. Roosevelt ha:
done so in the past; he is doing 81
now. l am making no bargains. ! an
agreeing to no conditions that woult
embarrass or hamper me in the admin