Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-08-09
A lAMENTABLE SPECTACLE

No more humiNatiTg, no more Ia
inevitable spectacle has been present
ed in this country, in its way, than
that which is now before US and on
the world. A former pEesident q Il q
United States; man who has been
governor ofthe greatest state. CT the
union, ranting about the dishonesty
and the thieves and "grafters''. of
his own party, nearly all the promt-
nent members Of which were until
within a few mouth his own personal
political and official friends and as
sOciates,o9 6!
Mr.. Roosevelt promised the people
Of this country four years ago that
he would not egain be a candidate
tor the office of president. Last wiz
ter he broke that promise. If, i, do
ing so, he had admitted like an hon.
est man, Qhathe meant it when he
made it, Out that conditions had so
changed as to ca6se hen ta5recah it,
little fault would have been found.
But he stultMed himself and iasulted
bis countrymep by Saying that he did
not mean the promise in q the way
the9 Understood it. and as they said
at the timeethey understood it.: The
people do not believe in a third term
and they Do not believe this country
has reached the point where only one
man IA able to save it. Had Presi-
dent Taft md his bakers stuck firm
ytO the third term issue last win
TER and9sprhg and let alone the side
Issues which Roos evelt raised, they
you'd have defeated him beyond eHel
9his own questioning But9 they at
tempted to handy spithets with a past
master in the business; they sought
to dicsuSs issues with a man who
, never has and never will discuss
them, save by innuendo and evasion.
Now cOmiAg dom to the question
~ the Chicago convention: Let no
man forget that Roosevelt claimed.
0 previous to the convention, that he
had Seen cheated of 2SS delegates by
IL Taft leaders; that these Taft
delegates serS elected bylfraud. He
gent so far as to decI1re that no
honest man could 81 in convention
with them and no decent, sell re-
spectips man could accept nOmina-
ton at their bands. Now what hap
pened? He had Is loyal supporters
on the national committee; and when
they bad examined the credentials of
those 2SS disputed delegates, they de-
-cided thGt adj but "A Of them were
properly elected and ought to be
allowed to sit in the convention, and
they we're willing to cit and act with
them, and did do 50. These were
men with whom Roosevelt said no
honest man cSnld sit. Has Roosevelt
ever apologiged to Tho 1874 delegates
whom he declared had stolen their
seats in the convention, but who his
friends subsequently said were en-
titled to their seats aud did not stea
them? @ o.
A getlemaH who N the heat of
passion or through ignorance insults
another and faisifies about him, al
ways, apologies: Demagogues' and in
sane persons never do. In all serious
ness The News asks it, readers to
pause for enc momGDt and lay aside
passien and partisan rancor, Read
this extract from Rocsevelt'S latest
declaration in which he says:
mo poor creature sentenced for
stealing purse while the convention
was on was more clearly guilty than
every man who todk part in or bene-
fitted by or apologies for the theft O
the nomination at Chicago. No hon.
Est man sansdefend it and claim Ions
er to q an honest man.
In other wogas your neighbOr, per
haps yDur best friend, the man whom
you have known all your life, who is
AOnored and respected in every walk
Of life, is denounced by this man
Roosevelt as more guilty" than the
poor creature who steals a purse Il
ne even Apologies" for the nomina
tlon at Chicago or DEFENDS Il, fOr
ROOsevGe says that mo NOnest man
can defend IT," Such talk a. this
from any prominent publk man IN
this or any etAer country Is most as
founding. What then. 9sAli be sad
II an ex-presMent Of the Uaitet
States who males it. Do you admit
that nearly O0e-half Of the msnber
snip Of the great Republican party /
dishOnest and worse than the mar
who steals . purse: that any mar
o. %