Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-03-30
CALLS PRIMARIES
CRIMINAL FARCE
Colonel Declares Voters in Gotham
sNere inundated at the Polls and
Ballots Refused Many.


aEE frauds and intimidation of voters
s0t the polls. The colonel said he had
learned the facts In kilograms from
Charles H. Duell, his manager in that
gxAzy.
f'If they play with marked cards 1t
doesn't go, stormed the colonel in one
M his train-end sallies. IF the people
an a fair vote are against me, all
zazshty but | object to being cheated
sIn1t of 1T by the bosses"
Colonel Roosevelt himself was in
full fighting trim; he was fighting mad
esaear through. He sailed into a bitter
s2gd angry attack on the men back OF
5-ho New York primaries and the law
sSs his hammering blow at the Taft
Turces. After finishing quickly with
s1is talk on big business at the Audi.
forum the colonel opened fire on the
Taft forces, prefacing his lombard
asnent against the primaries as con
g1cted in New York with this:
rs the nomination to be entrusted
ITO the representatives of political and
financial privilege, the representatives
of the powers of pillage, the men who,
&Sth the backing of big crooked bust.
ness work through the lowest kind Of
Tgyii teal saehinery and count on the
silence or support of every newspaper
zat is owned or controlled by or di.
'@ctly on indirectly responsive to those
s.a1rsat dnancial powers that work in
gtaas darkness?'
The election machinery in New
York was used as unscrupulously as
an the days of Tweed, he said; names
asas Roosevelt delegates were left off
Ike ballots, ballots were misprinted,
ware folded in such a way as to con,
lase IRE voters. and in numerous in
stances were not delivered to polling
g places until four or five hours after
alIs polls had opened, and in some in.
sszanres not before twenty minutes or
q quarter of an hour before closing.
Dur election inspectors were removed
gvhensVter ii was thought they were
zsgi with the machine
~As have said, such primary con-
TEST is not merely farce, but a
criminal farce. The result in such a
sTlmary are in no shape or way repre-
sentative of the Republican party and
aSge no binding force whatever upon
Tbs Republican party"
gcB'e C0ionel told his audience how
os5ghty election inspectors were re-
moved and anti-Rooseyelt men substi.
syulsd in the Seventh assembly district.
V@here William Halpin is leader, and
caf how he had to telephone Commits
fsioner Waldo for protection for the
rsDteTs
Mr.. Roosevelt told of similar tactics
laa other districts and declared that
vnhat had happened in New York is
s.sapstantially what had happened in
Colorado and in Indiana, where the
WIN efathe people had been reversed
In -arging The people of Illinois to
setapassed Ihs direct presidential pri,
r1raary law which is now pending in the
legislature, Colonel Roosevelt varied
fats attack upon President Taft by
"r-ararging that the Taft lieutenants in
constructing such laws are only fol
towing the presidents lead in distrust-
tlng the people. He quoted President
Taft as saying at Concord:
1T Is said that | distrust the peo-
E22e because | said that under impul-
sssTe action they may do wrong. | do.
e Ehink so. Don't you?" and then con
alggued:
When the president, with whatever
TBoCd Intentions, keeps dwelling upon
ears distrast of popular action. his dis
yebpE ia action by the people them
'seFoes. it is natural that his lieuten.
ANTS should feel that they have a free
-AaG3 in trying to thwart the wishes
ii the people"
Tile colonel charged that the Taft
stgEers are trying to wreck the party
TIE character OF the campaign which
rAa chief supporters of Mr.. Taft are
nlow waging," he declared, "is such as
.s make it absolutely impossible that
LEG are striving to create a situation
v'g'3ysrs The Republican party can win at
ne pOns On the contrary, the method
rney are resOrting to are such as to
make it evident that they are deliber-
Rteiy trying to throw away all chance
IL victory at the polls, provided only
rzhey can themselves retain control of
r1he machinery within the party | do
rzOt believe that most of them are even
ssincerely for Mr.. Taft.
They do me the honor of being bent
s,ed all hazards or beating me, partly
c20Ebness for what l personally am
gut chiefly because of the forces
symbolic in public life These men
y kngsw that they cannot control the Re
pu3iican party is there is a fair ex
Z7yrasstO8 of the will Of the party They
wish at all hazards to beat me BY
whatever means are necessary simply
because they are bound to prevent the
expression Of the popular will within
the party. Their actions have beer
such as 10 make it evident that they
prefer to see the Republican party de
-geated while they still retain control Of
as machinery than to see it sweep or
80 victory by becoming again what II
VNvas in the days Of Lincoln"