Norwich bulletin., 1912-05-20
Roosevelt Aims
 To Rule Or Ruin
TAFT DISCUSSES HIS IMPLIED
 THREAT TO BOLT.
A HISTORIC PARALLEL
Louis XIV, Once Said. "The State, I Am It"-Has Forfeited His Right to Be Candidate in Convention.

Cincinnati O., May 19.--Tn a most bitter and scathing denunciatiOn of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt tonight, President Taft declared that the ''cer- tainty of the colonePs defeat for the republican national nomination must be a source of profound conSratulation to all patriotic citizens" that he would wreck the republican party if not chosen by the republican national con- vention. and that MT. Roosevelt is like Louis XIV of France, who said: The state-I am it.
 The attack was in the form of a statement.
 The Presidents Statement
 Tn his statement the president said in part:
 "On Thursday last I gave state ment to the press in which l said that with 520 Taft delegates then elected to the convention, and with the immedi- ate prospect of the election of enough to exceed the necessary $40, the sue cess of the cause of constitutional gov ernment seemed assured
 Danger to the Country.
 MT. Roosevelt's speech at Clevel126 shows him in such a light that the
  licaan nomination must be a source o1 profound congratulation to all patriotic citizens who can now see the utter wreck that he would have made of tho party if nominated, and the great dan ger to which the country would have been exposed, had there been any chance of his election to a third term
 Threat to Bolt the Convention. ''AIr. Roosevelt says that he is thu republican party, and that if the re publican national committee in passins on the credentials of delegates shal hold to be unfounded his many films, contests he will decline to abide by tn, | judgment of those having authority | The inference from this is that he vii ! bolt the convention. If his edict is t, | be needed, then the holding of any con vention at all is perfunctory and su perfiuous.
 "The State-l Am It."
 f'The arrogance of his statement tha i he is the republican party and tha ! failure to comply with his views an, | wishes puts those doing so in the atti 1 tude of bolters, finds no parallel il | history save in the famous words 0 | Louis KY: The state-I am it. Tt is on a par with his declaration that I typify and embOdy the progress sive sentiment of the age A Case of Rule or Ruin.
 With clearly traceable premedita | tion, he projected contests without tn | slightest reason therefor in many case weeks after the regular convention had been held, merely to make a basi for a campaign of bluff and bluste1 ! Now he threatens that unless thi campaign thus carried on is to be rec | ognized as successful and unless hon estly elected delegates shall be throw out in sufficient numbers to give him | majority, he will break from the part and try to ruin that which he cannC rule.
 Forfeits Claim as Republican Candi
 date.
 I appeal to all republicans to sa | whether a man who assumes this att tude does not forfeit his claim to an right to become a candidate in a re publican convention? Honored wit the nomination to the presidency b that party, and with the most sacre obligations resting upon him to | loyal to it's organization. to respect tt rules governing it's national conver uon, and to recognize the authority the committees duly appointed undt its traditional policy, he flouts in at vance the decision of all these and ar nounces that unless he is to be nom mated the interest of the party and u interest of it's members are to be sat rificed and only his selfish ambition to be consulted.
 It cannot be that republicans wi countenance such a breach of part fealty, such treason to the party properly constituted government ar such defiance to the will of it's m; jority,'