Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-04
TIE BIG CONTEST.
1continued from PAGE one.l

| great weight with the committee. This,
taken in connection with the previous
request of Col Roosevelt for publicity
of the contest arguments indicates
that the doors will probably be thrown
open, at least TO newspaper men.
when the committee takes up contest
ed delegate cases, Friday morning.
The Presidents letter was the chief
subject of discussion at Republican
political headquarters, today, and his
declaration for publicity of the hear
ings is said by his supporters now
here to indicate that the Taft man
ayers believe their contest cases are
strongly prepared.
Taft headquarters were opened, to-
day, by Joseph b. Healing of Indiana.
Up to a late hour. tonight, only two
Eastern representatives of the Presi-
dent had reached Chicago, John Ryan
and A. A. Early of the publicity
bureau,
Mr., Healing wired Congressman Me-
Kinley. the Taft campaign manager,
10 hurry to Chicago. He is expected to
reach the city, tomorrow.
The Roosevelt and the Taft head
quarters lave been established in the
same hotel. Alexander H. Revel, head
! Of the Illinois headquarters, who re-
turned this morning, from oyster Bay
gave out a statement, tonight, outlin
ing what he said was Col. Roosevelts
attitude toward convention organiza
ton:
I'VE are assured absolutely that
there will be a clear majority for Col.
! Roosevelt on the first ballot" said Mr.
Revell. THE only proposition in sight
| is to develop the strength throughout
| the convention preliminaries so that
| It ultimately will be concentrated in
| the nomination of Col Roosevelt.
Absolutely nothing else has, or will
be considered by Col Roosevelt or by
his friends prior to, or during the con-
| vention.
| THE National committee has select
| ed Senator Root of New York for tenn
! porary chairman of the convention ct
| Chicago. X is reported that the Roose-
vent forces will oppose the action of
! the committee.
| Il am wiring YOU in behalf of the
| New York delegation, with the excep-
ton Of very few, to ask your support
for Senator Root for temporary chair
man. We believe this contest is the
most serious one which has afflicted
the Republican party and that the at
tempt to nominate Mr.. Roosevelt can
| lead only to disaster.
1.-THE doctrines which he has adVo-
| Gated we declared in our platform at
| the Rochester convention to be sub
versive of our form of government.
| VIII YOU please wire me to New York
city. collect, whether we can rely en-
your support for Senator Root for
temporary chairman.
tSigned) civilian BARNES. JR.
kilograms like this have been sent
to great number of the delegates.
apparently to great majority of
them. This telegram makes the issue
perfectly clear. 1t is one of the prin
ciples, not persons. Mr.. Barnes de-
mands Mr. Roots selection as the
sign of reputation OF the principles
for which / stand. and as an indorse
ment of the doctrines enunciated at
Rochester convention, doctrines not
merely reactionary, but of such a
character that no party protesting
them could carry single state in this
Union.
These doctrines are so Bourbon and
treactionary that in every open prim
airy in every Northern state since the
Rochester convention was held, after
full discussion, the people have over
whelmingly repudiated them.
This telegram from Mr.. Barnes
shows that the plan announced in the
press is true and that the leader and
real head of Mr. Tafts canvass at
Chicago is TO be Mr.. Barnes, whom
Mr.. Taft and his managers have
chosen to represent and emDody the
principles for which Mr.. Taft stands,
q choice which casts an illuminating
light on Mr., Taft's relations both to
the bosses in politics and to special
interests in the business world In
the next place it makes it perfectly
clear that Mr. Root is pushed for
nomination only with the purpose to
secure the defeat of the principles for
which the Progressive Republicans
|stand, the principles for which the
people have declared themselves. by
overwhelming majorities in hose
states where there have been popular
primaries Mr.. Roots personality be-
comes important in view of Mr.
Barnes telegram. Mr.. Barnes stands
as the representative of the very
worst for of bossism in politics. No
Progressive delegates can afford to
vote for any man proposed by Mr.
Barnes and his allies. for any such
vote is a vote against popular rule
and against the basic principles not
merely of the Republican party, but
Iof decent American citizenship.
This is not factional fight in the
ranks of the Republican party. 1t is
a fight between the plain people, the
rank and file of the Republican par
", making up the immense major
ity of that party on the one side and
on The other side the bosses with
back of the great sinister special in
terests which are endeaxoring to sus-
tain the cause of privilege by perpu-
tating the combination between crook
ed politics and crooked business.
There have been direct Presidential
preferential primaries SO far in the
states of Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mas
saehusetts, Ohio. New Jersey. North
Dakota. Maryland, California, Oregon
and Nebraska. In these states the
popular vote against Mr.. Taft has
been between two and three to one