The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-09-06
THE CALIFORNIA PIRACY.

The political piracy in California
undertaken by the Roosevelt followers
is 30 hagrantly steal that one cannot
but be amazed at the effrouterv of
those who undertake it in their claim
10 De working to the commandment
''Thou shalt not steal,
Prlma facie, were it simply ques.
tion Of control between two factions
OF the Republican party as to which
should have control of tho organization
it would be entirely in accord with
political ethics for the majority to
win and take such advantage of their
victory as they saw fit and was fairly
defenslble under party tactics, But
Colonel Roosevelt is running as the can
didate Of the Progressive party; he is
not Republican. He has formally cut
loose from the Republican party, and
is denouncine that party as ferceIv as
he denounccs the Democratic party, or
the Socialist party whose platform he
has stolen. 1t would be Just as de-
fensible to put Wilson electors on the
Republican ticket as Roosevelt electors.
For the Roosevelt men in California,
therefore, to pose as Republicans, and
to undertake the capture of the Repub-
lican organization, name. and prestige
for this new Progressive party, is the
bnldest kind Of piracy and theft The
Republican party has met in National
convention, and has made its nomina-
tions. and it is entitled in every State
to its own organization, name, and
''good Will, y 1t is out of the ques-
tion for opponents Of the Republican
party TO have any moral or honest
claim upon the Republican name or
organization. The Roosevelt support
ers are not Republicans in Cali
fornia or anywhere else. They are
members Of the new Progressive party
which Colonel Roosevelt has organized
In undertaking TO pose as Republicans
they are acting under false pretenses
and they are committing a plain fraud
upon the people Of California and upon
the Republican party.
1t is astonishing indeed to see this
sort Of rascality attempted under the
banner "Thou shalt not steal,' but it
is pleasant to see that the Republicans
| in California do not propose to be dis
| franchsed as the success of the Roose.
welt scheme would disfranchse them;
| for it is plain that if the Progressives
are able to capture and to hold the
Republican name and organization in
California, the real Republicans, the
supporters Of the Republican party
nominations for President and Vice
President. will not be able to vote for
their party nominees in California. To
put upon the Republican ticket electors
who declare their support for Colonel
Roosevelt is to deny the Taft sup
porters in that State any possibility Of
voting for Taft. OF course, they will
NOT vote for Roosevelt, and if the
piracy could be made complete, the
simply the alternative of voting for
Wilson or not voting for President at
all. Inasmuch as the majority of the
! former Republicans In California are
for Roosevelt and against Taft, as ex-
pressed in the primary election, the
case is simply the same as certain
members Of a family selling the fam.
! ilv estate and debarrine those not in
the selling party from any participa-
ton in IT.
The dishonesty and false pretcnse
under which this piracy is attempted
lis so plain that it would seem as
though any court of an honest mind
will quickly come 10 the relief OF the
true Republicans of California and free
them from the disability threatened
by the Roosevelt crowd. ii has been
the distinguishing feature OF political
party action In America hitherto. that
good faith as u general proposition has