The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-06-07
TAFT ANSWERS
COL. ROOSEVELT
President Exposes Oup|Ie!iy Of
His Old Friend

REPLIES TO EVERY CHARGE
Produces Proof That Roosevelt Dsiib
sratsIy Misfsprsssntsd Him In Thi,
campaisn-DscIarss Him Menace I,
Republic and to Prosperity.
President Taft in three speeches ir
Massachusetts, on kst@:. Is personally
answered the Misrepresentation Of
Theodore Roosevelt of the position OF
the president with respect to the L.
sues Of this campaign. with respect to
his administration and Of himself per.
sonaily. The president said he re.
GREETED the necessity Of speaking plain.
~ about hts ''old friend" to whom he
frankly admitted a personal obliga.
ton. The president said, however.
that the situation created by Mr..
Roosevelt's personal attacks. on him
and his administration made fuAher
silence intolerable.
The basis Of the presidents reply to
Mr.. Roosevelt was the well known
square deal" maxim Of Mr.. Roose-
welt. As he answered each Roosevelt
charge the president inquired. "Have
I had square deal?"' In order these
subjects were treated by the president.
Misrepresentation Of the Presidents
Speeches.
.First.-Under this heading President
Taft declared that Mr.. Roosevelt had
deliberately misrepresented him when
he said. "Mr. Taft defines the issue
when he says that our government is
and should be government Of all the
people by representative part of the
people"
1.-THE excerpt which Mr.. Roosevelt
uses is taken from my speech at To
ledo," said the president. 1T is gar
bled. did not say this should be-
government Of all the people by a rep
resentative part Of the people. l said
1t is a government of all the people
by representative part of the people,
and it is. pointed out that this gov
eminent of ours is a government by
the adult voting males in order to
show the necessity for constitutional
restrictions to protect the nonvoters
among the people against the possible
injustice and aggression of a majority
Of the voters. Was 1t honest, was It
fair in Theodore Roosevelt to seize one
sentence from speech to garble it
and then give it a meaning which he
knew from the context it could not
bear? Do the people Of Massachu-
sets think that this is a square deal?'
Unfair Charge as to Bosses.
Second.-In reply to the charge that
bosses" were supporting his candi-
dacy President Taft pointed out that
William Finn of Pittsburgh. zone Of
the worst municipal bosses that the
history of that state knows" Walter
Brown Of Ohio, 1.-The only boss in full
commission in the state" and William
Ward Of New York were supporting
Mr.. Roosevelt. Senator Crane Of Mas
sachusetts, whom Mr.. Roosevelt has
mentioned, President Taft said, had
three times been invited by Mr..
Roosevelt into his cabinet" and that |
Mr.. Roosevelt had invited him to man.
age his presidential campaign in 1904.
when consider the eagerness with
which Mr.. Roosevelt has accepted in
MS various campaigns the assistance
If Mr.. Aldrich, Mr.. Cannon, Mr.. Pen
'ose, Mr.. Quay, Mr.. Plat, Mr.. For
lker and many other men," said the
president, Il do not hesitate to say
hat it involves the most audacious ef-
'rontery on his part to attack me be-
.ause men he characterizes as bosses
ire now supporting me. This is pecul-
arly unfair on his part in view Of his
veil known political history and is an
'ther instance Of his departing from
he rule of square deal"
'aIss Statements In. Lorimer Case to
People Of Illinois.
Third-In this connection President
,aft said Mr.. Roosevelt had made it
ppear that vote cast for Taft in ILL
Iois would be vote for Lorimer. II
ave not seen Mr.. L0rimer for two
ears and have had no communication
With or from him." he said. II did not
SIX his support. He did not tender it
D me. Any influence he may have
iven in my favor was not because he
ked me, but because he felt more bit
Or toward Mr.. Roosevelt" The presi-
emit then quoted in full a letter he had
imself written to Mr.. Roosevelt on
an. 9, 1911, in which he outlined the
teps he was taking to have Lorimer
nseated in the senate and stating that
enators Root, Burton, Nelson and 9th
70 had become interested at his sug-
estion.. He pointed out to Mr.. Roose-
cit how they could best work togeth-
: on the case.
II make this letter public only to
low that Of all the people in the world ]
heodore Roosevelt ought to have j
nown and did know that / was not a 1
artisan Of Lorimer. did not sympa- 8