New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-18

minutes-minutes given over N RELAYS
OF cheering and shouting for the EXPIRES
ident. He stood there grinning broadly,
manifestly enjoying it all Finally he
waved his hand for silence and the
cheering died away. Senator Borah then
managed to finish his speech and present
the candidate. Again came cheering.
Finally, in a moment Of silence, the
high shrill Roosevelt voice shouted:
I made my fight fair and square In
the open, and won"
Yes, and you'll win again. Teddy"
came the shouted reply.
Yes, Won" went On Colonel Roose-
welt, "and l don't intend to let them
cheat me out of it."
You bet they WON'T" an enthusiast in
the gallery shouted. Alice Longworth,
sitting beside her husband and Mrs.
Roosevelt, in a box near the stage,
laughed heartily and waved a flag.
Cries Theft" and treason"
The meeting was fairly begun. Colo
mel Roosevelt had established himself
with the audience, which took a highly
personal interest in his speech. sailing IL
with Interruptions and comments until
at times It assumed the form OF a dia-
logue And the audience relished hugely
the tart words the speaker used. He
did not mince words. He called the
action Of the national committee in the
contested elections political theft" and
explained that he meant precisely what
he said. Also it was treason to the
American people"
This is a fight for the fundamental
rights of the American people" he main
tanned. 1T isn't my fight now; it's
yours
The national committee, he said, was
body Of some fifty men, with a ratio
Of honesty ranging from fourteen to
twenty, and the remaining thirty sure
thing men,"
Tvs a travesty on popular govern
ment." he declared further along, TO an
accompaniment Of wild cheers, that
men STEPPED to the eyes in political dis
honesty should dare speak of themselves
as the regulars, as the custodians of
Abraham Lincolns principles"
On this basis. that the national COM
mittee had dishonesty seated enough
delegates TO turn the convention against
him, Colonel Roosevelt based his appeal
for support in his plan Of action.
ANY action Of the convention taken
only by a majority Of which the eighty
fraudulent delegates are a component
part has no binding effect of any kind or
sort" he declared. Such action would
not impose any obligation on any Re-
publican within the convention"
This statement. it was realized. came
pretty close to being a declaration Of
justification for boiling the convention.
II boiling seemed desirable. It struck
the popular note. Colonel Roosevelt
stood. right arm uplfted, a pleased look
on his face. while the crowd cheered him
and shouted again and again.
Were with you Teddy, all the way"
Eat 'em up" Eat EN- up" and the
omnipresent West Virginia men yelled:
Fight EN-" Fight EN-
1
THE attempt to bind the convention TO
acts Of deliberate dishonesty brings into
question elementary principles which lie
at the base not only Of party organiza-
| ton, but Of free government and social
order"
Colonel Roosevelt ended his speech by
an appeal to vote against Senator Root
or any other candidate for temporary
, chairman who would lermit himself TO
| become the instrument Of the political
corruptionists.
In his speech Colonel Roosevelt said;
but l also and primarily address you as
fellow Americans. fellow citizens. for this
has now become much more than an ordi-
/ nary party fight The issue is both simpler
and larger than that involved in the per
sonality Of any man or than that involved
/ in any factional or in any ordinary party
contest. We are standing for the great
| fundamental rights upon which all sue
cessful free government must be based, We
I are standing for elementary decency In
| politics We are fighting for honesty
against naked robbery; and where robbery
! is concerned the all-important question s
| not the identity Of the man robbed, but
/ the crime itself
/ Mr.. Roosevelt went on TO say that the
( issue was neither personal, partisan nor
/ political, but a great moral question The
| triumph Of the methods OF the national
| committee, ne declared, would mean the
wreck Of the Republican party and Of
| popular government. He continued
Tonight We come together to protest
1 against a crime which strikes straight at
| the heart OF every principle OF political
4 0ecency and honesty, crime Wnlcn rep
| resents treason to the people ana the
! usurpation Of the sovereignty OF the people
] by irresponsible political bosses, inspired
| by the sinister influences OF money prlVi-
iege We here in this hall are engaged
not only in a fight for the rights OF every
decent Republican, we are engaged In a
| fight for the rights Of every decent Ameri-
can. whatsoever his party may be Ana.
| oh, my friends for one thing at least we
should be profoundly grateful. We are
more fortunate than our fathers In thdt
there is no slightest tinge or secIonallsrh
! in the fight we are now waging. Inc prin-
| ciples for which we stand are as vital TOT
1 the South as for the North, for the East
| as for the West. We make our appeal 10
all honest, farsighted and patriotic Ameri-
cans. no matter where they may dwell
Taft's Surrender to Bosses"
When in February last ! made up my
mind that 1t was my duty to enter
this fight 1t was after long and care
full elaboration. had become con;
WINGED that Mr.. Taft had definitely ana
people and had surrendered himself wholly
to the biddings Of the professional political
bosses and OF the great privileged interests
standing behind them. / had also become
convinced that unless l did make the night
II could not be made at all and that Mr..
Taft's nomination would come 10 him with
out serious opposition.
The event has justified both my beliefs.
| Progress