The Washington herald., 1912-07-10
AWAITING LIGHT
ON TAFT ATTACK
Progressives Are Unwilling to
Make a Move at This
Time.
PETITION MADE PUBLIC

Two concrete propositions are under
consideration by progressive Republicans
who are opposed to Taft and Sherman.
They are:
| First. that President Taft shall be ask
ed to quit the race: second, that the pro-
gressives shall issue a statement in which
is shall be set forth that Mr.. Taft is
not the legal nominee of the party: that
Il is his duty to retire, and falling to
do so that every progressive shall be at
liberty to support any national ticket
that may suit his fancy.
The progressives are divided. Some Of
the supporters of Robert NJ. La Toilette
are certain to line up behind one or the
other OF the propositions above outlined.
In the absence of evidence to the con-
trary it is assumed by party leaders here
that Mr. La Toilette will stand pat in
this campaign. 1t is the general expec-
tation that he will remain in the Re-
publican party. but not give active sup
port to Mr.. Taft.
A petition addressed to the President
asking him to decline the nomination on
the ground that he was named in part
by delegates who had no moral right TO
sit in the Chicago convention has been
prepared by Representative Rollin r.
Rees OF Kansas. A like petition has been
prepared by other progressives. Mr.. Rees
sdlO Iudl PtlillOH "ouiu oo
circulated in the season. and that he was
hopeful that it would be signed by many
anti-administration Republicans. The text
of the Rees petition follows:
The Rees Petition.
Mr.. President: The Republican party.
in our Judgment. is in a perilous position.
1t is. freely charged that the Republican
National Committee, in preparing the
the expressed will of the rank and file of
the Republican voters in choosing their
delegates TO that convention. in many in
stances seating delegates who had never
been elected to that body, and that these
high handed proceedings We're carried to
the extent of turning a minority into
majority, and that this illegally consti-
tuted majority proceeded to ratify the ac-
ton of the committee. and to make nom-
nations for President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States and that you,
Mr.. President owe your title to the Re
publican nomination to the Presidency to
the votes Of these Illegally seated dele
gates.
This charge, II made by a few dis
gruntled ones, might be lightly ig-
nored, but whether true or false. even
If without the shadow of Justification,
when made by more than a third of
convention. and believed to be true by
millions of people who read the pro-
ceedings, 1t becomes so serious that
it involves in doubt not only your
election but that of the entire Republi-
can ticket, and threatens to disrupt
the party itself
Urges Patriotic Duty.
Under the circumstances, we, the
undersigned Republicans, urge upon
you the patriotic duty of considering
a plan to avert the threatened disas-
ter. We would respectfully request
that as a means of relieving yourself
of any odium attendant upon the action
Of the convention. that you decline to
accept a clouded title to the Republi-
can nomination to the Presidency, and
that you lead in a request to the Ma
tional Committee to call a new conven-
tion in order that the coming cam
paign may be conducted along the
lines of the great and fundamental
questions of public policy. instead of
descending into a quarrel within our
garded as our lawful nominee"
Davis in Sympathy.
Representative Charles r. Davis, OF
Minnesota, who is a strong Roosevelt
man, is in sympathy with the Rees Pc
tition. and it is understood that he voices
the views of a score or more House
Progressives. Representative Norris, or
Nebraska, a Progressive, expressed the
belief that petitions such as that framed
by Representative Rees might be cir
culated by the Roosevelt men.
1t was stated by a Progressive leader