The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-03-11
RULES Of GAME
|. 7. RS TEXT FOR
|. MORE ARGUMENT
Mckinley's Phrase in Reference
to Presidential Primaries Is
Adroitly Turned
Ro0sevelt's Manager Hands Out
Letter in Which Candidate
Pleads for Issue

a letter on the subject of presidential
preference primaries written by Theo-
dore Roosevelt to Senator Joseph NJ
tional headquarters here. were given
out tonight by Senator Dixon.
Colonel Roosevelt apparently indorses
Senator Dixon's challenge to Director
Mckinley of the Taft headquarters for
such primaries and scores McKinleys
in the rules of the game while the
game was in progress"
Colonel Roosevelts letter, in part,
follows:
My Dear Senator Dixon: l have re-
ceived your letter of March 6 stating
that in your opinion it is of vital inn
portance to the success of the repub-
lican party in the November elections
that the republican national convention
shall nominate the candidate whom the
mass of republican voters wish nom
mated and therefore this sentiment
should be given expression through
presidential preference primaries in the
several states in order that the wishes
of the voters may be obtained before
instead of after the nomination.
Il have also seen your correspondence
with Mr. Mckinley You proposed to
him that, as far as possible, the selec-
tion of the republican candidate for the
presidency should be determined by the
voters of the party in the presidential
preferential primaries. Mr.. McKinley's
answer is contained practically in one
sentence in the letter sent you: I do
not favor changes in the rules of the
game while the game is in progress
Contest Not "Game"
THE point of view expressed in that
sentence contains the issue within the
republican party at this time. We who
stand for a progressive cause, for the
cause of honest and genuine democracy.
genuine republican government, hold
that public contest between parties,
or within parties. is not carried on as a
game; is not carried on for the purpose
of winning prizes for the contestants or
with a view to the personal wishes or
welfare of any one man.
I'VE hold that it should be carried on
for the purpose of ascertaining and
putting into effect the will of the peo-
pie. so that the people may jointly do
for themselves what no man can do so
we'll for them.
I'VE hold that the object of this con-
test is not to secure rewards for in
dividuals, but to secure the most effec-
tive government of the people. by the
people and for the people.
"Our opponents, on the contrary, take
Mr.. McKinley's view that we are en-
gagged in game in which the interests
of the people. it is true. are at stake,
but in which the people themselves are
not to have their choice Mr. McKinley's
position was stated with frank cynicism
by Congressman Campbell on behalf of
the reactionary element in the repub-
lican party, when in a recent speech, in
which he is quoted as 'arousing the
greatest enthusiasm by declaring that
the republican party does not believe
in an appeal from the umpire to the
bleachers.
People on BIeachers
Mr.. Campbell has simply stated
more frankly the views held Gas is evil
dent by Mr.. McKinley's statement)
generally among our opponents Their
feeling is that politics is a game, that
the people should simply sit on the
bleachers as spectators and that no
appeal lies to the people from the men
who, for their own profit, are playing
the game. 1t is astounding that men
should venture to take such position
and 1t shows that the men and those
for whom they speak and whom they
represented have wandered far, indeed.
from the ground held by Abraham Lin
coin when he declared this to be a
government dedicated to the welfare of
the common people and to be mana ged
Justly and honorably by these plain
people for their own welfare in accord
ance with the immutable laws of
righteousness.
"Our opponents take the view that
this contest is merely a game, that the
object of the contest is to win prizes
for the contestants and that the public
Office is the reward that goes to the
winners of the game and that. there
fore, IL is piece OF allowable smart
ness to refuse to make changes in the
laws during the progress of the con-
test, IL these changes would deprive the
lead captains of the political world of
the advantage they now hold over the
plain people.
I'm short. the issue mag be stated as
follows:
Should election laws be framed
with a view to the interests of poll
ticians. or should election laws be
framed with a view to carrying out the
popular willT
I'VE have on the one hand Mr.. Nc
Kinley and Mr.. Campbell, and the re-
dictionary element for whom they stand,
an element which has made 1t evident
that they prefer to see the republican
party ruined rather than to see 1t again
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