The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-05-09
TAFT ANSWERS
COL. ROOSEVELT
President Exposes DupIiCity of
His Old Friend.
REPLIES TO EVERY CHARGE
Produces Proof That Roosevelt DELHI
erateIy Mlsrepresented Him In
This campalgn-Declares Him
Menace to Republic and
to Prosperity.


President Taft, in three speeches in
Massachusetts on April 25, person
ally answered the misrepresentation
of Theodore Roosevelt of the position
Of the president with respect to the
issues Of this campaign, with respect
to his administration and to himself
personally. The president said he re-
gretted the necessity of speaking
plainly about his "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 further
silence intolerable, and he answered
Mr.. Roosevelt's attack, charge by
charge.
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
1 had a square deal?" In order, these
subjects were treated by the presi-
dent as follows:
MISREPRESENTATION of the Presi-
dents Speeches" Under this heading
President Taft declared that Mr.
Roosevelt had deliberately misrepre-
sented him when he said: "Mr. Taft
defines the issue when he says that
our government is and should be a
government of all the people by rep
representative part of the people?"
"The excerpt which Mr.. Roosevelt
uses is taken from my speech at To
ledo," said the president. ut is gar
bled. did not say this should be- a
government of all the people by rep
resentative part Of the people. l said
it is government of all the people
by a representative part of the peo-
ple,' and it is. l pointed out that this
government Of ours is a government
by the adult voting males in order to
show the necessity for constitutional
restrictions to protect the non-voters
among the people against the possible
injustice and aggression Of major
ity of the voters. Was it honest? Was
1t fair in Theodore Roosevelt to seize
one sentence from speech, to garble
1t and then give it meaning which
he knew from the context it could not
bear? Do the people of Massachu-
sets think that this is a square deal?''
Charge as to Bosses.
"2-Unfair Charge as to Bosses. y
In reply to the charge that bosses
were supporting his candidacy, Presi.
dent Taft pointed out that William
Finn of Pittsburgh, Pa, zone OF the
worst municipal bosses that the his
tory of that state knows" Walter
Brown of Ohio, "the only boss in full
commission in the state" and William
Ward of New York were supporting
Mr.. Roosevelt. Senator Crane of
Massachusetts, 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 eagernesF
with which Mr. Roosevelt has accept
ed in his various campaigns the as
sistance of Mr.. Aldrich, Mr.. Cannon
Mr.. Penrose, Mr. Quay, Mr.. Platt, Mr.
Foraker and many other men," saiC
the president, Il do not hesitate tt
say that it involves the most auda
cious effrontery on his part to attacl
me because men he chafacteriZes az
bosses are now supporting me. This
is peculiarly unfair on his part in view
Of his well-known political history
and Is another instance Of his depart
ing from the rule of square deal"
"3-False Statements in Lorimel
Case to People of Illinois" In this
connection President Taft said Mr.
Roosevelt had made it appear that {
vote cast for Taft in Illinois would bt
a vote for Lorimer. II have not seer
Mr.. Lorimer for two years and have
had no communication with or from
him." he said. Il did not ask his sup
port. He did not tender it to me. An.
influence he may have given in m!
favor was not because he liked me
but because he felt more bitter to
ward Mr.. Roosevelt" The presiden
then quoted in full letter he ha(
himself written to Mr.. Roosevelt OF
Jan. 6, 1911, in which he outlined th'
steps he was taking to have Lorime
unseated in the senate and statinE
that Senators Root, Burton, Nelson
and others had become interested a
his suggestion. He pointed out tt
Mr.. Roosevelt how they could bes
work together on the case and quoted
Senator Borah of Idaho as one Of tn,
men he had consulted before writin!
Mr. Roosevelt.
II make this letter public only t,
show that Of all the people in tn,
world Theodore Roosevelt ought t,
have known, and did know, that wa
not a partisan of Lorimer, did no
sympathize with him, and never CAV,
Mr.. Roosevelt or any one else tn
slightest reason to suppose l hat
changed my mind. submit to tn
people of Massachusetts, that, with hi
intimate knowledge Of the facts, MI
Roosevelt's linking Of my name wit
Lorimer's was for the purpose of in
ducing the people of Illinois to vot
/ aoaInaf ma IN unnouuf NJ thoir foaliu