The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-16
ROOSEVELT SAYS
He HAS ALL OF
500 DELEGATES
Will Receive Enough Votes to
Nominate on First Ballot
BROWNSVILLE AFFAIR AGAIN
Colonel Says Taft Managers are Max
ina an Exhibit" Of Discharged
Colored Soldiers

Dayton, O., May 16.-Col Roose-
welt dictated the following state
ment last night:
"The number of delegates nee
essary to nominate is $50. OF the
delegates already elected without
counting the contested delegates, i
have more than 500. OF the dele
gates yet to be elected | am conid-
ent | will receive enough to insure
my nomination on the first ballot"
Col. Roosevelts claim was based
upon table of delegates prepared
by his secretary According to this
calculation, there are nearly 500 del
egates already elected and instruct
ed for Roosevelt without including
any uninstructed or contested dele
gates. The colonel said as he went
over the table that he was assured
of enough votes from the total of in
structed and contested delegates to
be able to say that of the delegates
already elected he had more than
500. He referred to number Of
states in which he said he would re-
ceve more votes than are included
in the list of delegates now instruct
ed for him. The table, he added did
not take into consideration the
chances of obtaining delegates from
Ohio or New Jersey
A new broom was tied to the rear
platform of the Roosevelt special
train yesterday. In speaking at Ken
ton, Col Roosevelt said "Of I'M
contested delegates that have been
elected we now have a considerable
majority over Mr. Taft On the pres
ent showing it would be impossible to
nominate him, except. by unfairly and
improperly seating delegates who
have possible claim to sit in the con-
vention." Col. Roosevelt began
the second day of his Ohio campaign
in Elyria, where he made a speech
before breakfast at $40 o'clock, and
ended it at Dayton last night He de-
llvered Is speeches during the day to
crowds of large size.
In his address at Springfield Col.
Roosevelt criticized Mr.. Taft. "A
certain Lorimer congressman from H.
linois," said he, who is supporting
Mr. Taft as his chief, Senator Lori
mer did, has come into Ohio bring
ing number of members of the two
companies of the colored regiment
who were discharged on account OF
the riot at Brownsville. These men
are brought here by the Taft mana
gers to assail me for what | did al
Brownsville to try to get our colored
fellow-citizens to vote against me.
81 always accept full responsibility
for what | do. ! did take the action
at Brownsville and my judgment in
taking ii has been ratified over and
over again by every competent man
who investigated the matter; by
tribunal after tribunal. want you
to understand that | am not taking
back by one fingers breadth any &C
ton of mine. If | should lose every
delegate in every state in the Union
by taking 1t, | would take that actor
over again.
II want to call your attention tC
the fact that the Taft managers, a
time when Mr. Taft is in the state
himself, without one word of protes
from him, are trying to use that in
cident to my discredt and to his ad
vantage. Now acted on the recon-
mendation OF Mr.. Taft when he wa.
my secretary of war"
Col Roosevelt held up copy o
the annual report of the secretary o
war Tor 1906 and read an extrac
from 1t in which reference was mad,
TO the Brownsville affair. There Il
Mr.. Taft's own report upon which
acted he continued. Il do not shift
any responsibility upon Mr.. Taft.
take 1t all. But Mr. Taft should b.
responsible for his action, too. MI
Taft recommended TO me, as ] hav
read to you from his report, tina
these men should be dismissed for
heinous crime. Does Mr.. Taft no,
say that when he made that report L
me and submitted 1t to Congress. h
said what was not true? If he say
so, let him give his reasons for hi
change.
More than that. he has for tire
years been president and he coul
have reinstated every man of tina
regiment If he thought that the az
ton | took on his recommendatio
was wrong Mr.. Taft, in my jud,
ment, cannot and will not affirm ths
his action then taken was not prope
And therefore | hold that II
wrong-and ! am speaking wit
guarded moderation when say 1t
wrong--for Mr.. Taft. without wor
OF protest to allow his managers
import into the state of Ohio, viii
he is himself in Ohio. men who II
to PERSUADE our colored fellow cit
zens that | and not he should I
blamed for what was done. accel
the full responsibility for what d
and | do not intend that he sha
shirk the responsibility for what /
did"
AT Nenia the broom which some ,
thusiast had attached to Col. Roos
~Velts car caused complaints by pc