Arizona republican., 1912-08-17
His Audience Consisted of Members of Maryland Re
 publican Editorial Asso- citation Who Called on the President at White House
DUTY OF ELECTORS
 TO CONSTITUENTS
President Moved by Reports That Some Maryland Re publican Electors Had It in Mind to Cast Votes for Roosevelt
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPArcHI

WASHINGTON. August 16.-Presi- dent Taft today made his first po- litical speech since he was notified Of his renomination. Addressing the members of the Maryland republican editorial association in the East room Of the White House. he declared bluntly that the presidential electors were dishonest men" if they let their names appear on the republican ballot and intended to vote for the candidate of another party All we ask is a fair fight A man cannot be in the republican party and the third party at the same time and he should be compelled to make his selection said the president.
 Regularity or a feeling of regu- larity and respect for the republican party for what it has done, and what it is capable of doing, is going to bring into the republican party many men who have been doubtful, and it is going to increase that number in my judgment as we approach the election
 It is therefore essential that we make the cleavage as clear as it can be made. so that those who are re- publicans shall be republicans, and those with the bOlters shall bear their name and title. We ought to have electors in each state on ballots bear ing the emblem of the republican party. bearing the names of the can didates of that party for president and vice president at the head of the ticket, covering the electors who are going to vote for those names.
 If there are any men on that bal let who are not going to vote for the men at the head of the ticket I don't hesitate to say that they are dishonest men; in fact, they are holding out to the people who are t0 vote for them an implied promise that they will vote for the names an the ticket. when they, in fact, intend to vote for somebody else"
 Some of the editors told the presl- dent that either the electors chosen for the republican ticket in Maryland would declare their intention to sup bort him or a new state convention would be held to make new nomina- tions.
 The president began his speech with a brief summary of what the repub- lican party stands for.
 He said: We are republicans That means that we believe in cer- tain principles, that we believe il the constitution of the United States that we believe in progress along tho lines that the constitution indicates We are protectionists and We are il favor of maintaining the present prosperity by maintaining a tariff system which shall preserve busi ness as it goes on now and shall SC cure as high wages as possible t' wage earners and a reasonable prof it to those who invest their capital These two propositions cover a goo' deal of repubicanism.
 Being a party we are anxious t have the opinions that our party rep resents put into force in the opera ton of the government The onl. way we can do that is by electln' 2 congress and president that vii carry them out Now. that mean that we have to be single party ard not d part of two parties
 don't think we are unfair in asking that we be given a chance for fai fight and in counting those agains us who are not with us.''