The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-05
The Party Must Accept His
Political Doctrine if He
Is to Be Leader
WILL DELIVER HIS
SPEECH ON TUESDAY
Will Not Accept Nomination on Plat
form Not Meeting His Ap-
proval-Criticizes Appoint
ment of Negro

New York, August 4--The national pro-
gressive party must accept Colonel Roose-
velts political doctrine II he is to be its
standard bearer. He said late today as
he started for Chicago that he would In
sst upon making his confession OF
faith" to the delegates before the COM
mittee which is to draft the platform
makes its final report, and he would not
accept the nomination on platform
which did not meet with his approval.
Colonel Roosevelts speech was originally
scheduled for Monday night. 1t was sug-
gested to him that the time of its delivery
be postponed and he sent word to his
| managers that he would not consent to a
delay until after the platform had been
presented to the convention. Advance
copies of the speech reached the leaders
of the new party several days ago. The
colonel said nothing. however, TO indi-
cate that the suggestion for delay in
the delivery OF the speech was due to the
impressions of those who had read it.
Question of Principle
Colonel Roosevelt said that in his speech
he had dealt fully with all the great po-
litieal questions of the day. He spoke
frankly and fearlessly he said and be-
lieved that the convention ought to be
fully apprsed of his views before ratify-
ing the tentative nomination which he ae-
cepted at Chicago last month lie con-
tends that 1t was upon a question of prin-
ciple that he left the republican party,
and now that he has done so he cannot
make a compromise Of principle in accept
ing the leadership of the new movement.
His declaration of political faith, he said,
is one which Will be termed either social
ism or anarchy and possibly both, but
represents his Convictions. He goes TO
Chicago to make these views known and
to accept the presidential nomination only
If they are acceptable in their substantial
provisions to the new party.
According to the present arrangement
Colonel Roosevelt will deliver his speech
/ Tuesday. This plan. he said, was salts.
/ factory to him as at that time the plat.
form committee viii not have completed
its work.
Leaves for Chicago
Colonel Roosevelt left Oyster Bay early
in the afternoon by automobile for this
city, where at o'clock he took n train
which is due in Chicago early In the
morning. He was accompanied only by
Mrs. Roosevelt and his secretary
The appointment by President Taft
of Mingo Sanders, who was SER
geant of the negro infantry regiment
discharged from the army for partici-
pation in the Brownsville riots, as q
| lad Rnnaaualt In
criticize the President sharply, San
ders took the stump In the Ohio pri-
mary nght between Colonel Roosevelt
and President Taft
Sergeant Mingo Sanders" said the
colonel was the Oldest and most re-
spected non-commissioned officer in
the companies which, on the recon-
mendation of Secretary OF War Taft
were discharged without honor in 1906.
and of whom Mr. Taft as Secretary OF
War in 1905 spoke as follows:
Taft's Opinion
at goes without saying that II the
guilty could be ascertained they should
and would be punished, but the guilty
cannot be ascertained and the very
inpossibiiity of determining who are
the guilty ones makes the whole bat
talon useless to the government as an
instrument for maintaining law and
order The only means of ridding the
military OF band of would-be MUIR
derers of women and children and aca
tual rnurderers OF one man Is the dis
charge OF the entire battalion.
I'm his report and recommendations
Mr.. Taft explicitly stated that the Vet
eran nom commissioned officers in
charge of the battalion were. of course,
moro responsible for what had occurred
than the others and nothing has oc-
CURED since to alter the position Of
Sanders except his use by Mr.. Tafts
campaign managers in Ohio. In short
he was discharged by Mr.. Tafts rec
ommendation on his military record.
He Is reinstated under Mr.. Taft on his
political record.
'If Mr.. Taft did not tell the truth
about Mlngo Sanders and his col
leagues in his report as Secretary OF
War, from which J have quoted above,
then his conduct needs no characteri-
zation by me. II he did tell the truth
then his reinstatement OF Mingo San
ders in the public service is still less
in need of any Characterization by me-