The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-06-18

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auditorium every seat was taken. Out.
side the building were thousands who
were unable to gain admission. Two
hundred policemen held them back.
Senator Borah mnde speech while
the crowd was waiting for Colonel
Roosevelt. His remarks were brought
ton an untimely end when the people
leaped TO their feet with yell. The
colonel had come.
1t was nearly four minutes later
when the uproarious welcome sub.
sided The colonel stood on the plat
form, waved his hands and smiled.
uproar at Greeting.
The crowd was eager to cheer. Col.
Roosevelt was constantly interrupted
during his speech with storms or ap.
plause. He frequently departed from
his prepared speech for an extempo-
rGneous thrust which brought the PEG.
pie TO their feet, shouting and waving
the flags which were handed to each
person on entering the hall.
81 made my fight square and fair
in the open and l won," he said. 81
don't intend that my opponents shall
cheat me out of It,"
The Colonel gave a new definition
OF the National committee. "The
National committed" he exclaimed.
who are they? About fifty people
with the ratio OF honesty ranging
from about fourteen to twenty, and
the remainder Of them, sure-thipg
men," =.
Colonel Roosevelt began to call
the roll OF some OF his most proml.
neRt opponents. At the first he men,
toned groan came from the crowd.
With the next name the groan. be.
came roar.
To preserve peace the Colonel gave
up his roll call.
When Colonel Roosevelt said that
an action OF the convention, II
brought about by the votes OF the
delegates fraudulently seated, would
not be binding upon the party, there
came the widest outburst of applause
OF the evening.
In his speech, Roosevelt said:
Il address you as my fellow Repub-
licans, but also and primarily adj.
dress you as fellow Americans. fellow
citizens, for this has now become
much more than an ordinary party
fight. The issue is both simpler and
larger than that involved in the per.
sonality of any man. or than that in.
volyed in any factional or in any ordi.
nary party contest. We are standing
for the great fundamental rights upon
which all successful free government
must be based. We are standing for
elementary decency In politics. We
are fightingfor honestly against mayed
robbery; and where robbery Is con.
cerned the all.important question is
not the identity of the man robbed,
but the crime itself.
"As for as Mr.. Taft and | are per.
sonaiiy concerned, It little matters
what the fate OF either may be. But
with Mr. Taft's acqulescence or by
his direction, and In his interest, his
followers have raised an issue which
Is all important to this country. 1t
Is not a partisan Issue; It is more
than n political issue; It is u great
moral issue. II we condone political
theft, If We do not resent the kinds
OF wrong and injustice that Injurious.
~ effect the whole nation, not merely
our democratic form OF government
but our civilization itself can endure:
II the methods adopted by the ma
tional committee are approved by the
convention which is about to assemble
great crime will have been COM
mitted. The triumph of such pro-
ceedings at the moment would mean
the wreck OF the Republican. party;
and If such proceedings become habit.
ual 1t would mean the wreck OF popu-
lar government. The actions OF the
Taft leaders In the national commit
tee, taken with the active aid of Mr..
Tat,'s private secretary and OF one
OF Mr. Tafts cabinet officers, are
INDUSTRIOUS, and they should be indig.
nantly condemned by the moral senti,
mcnt of the whole country. Tonight
We come together to protest against
crime which strikes straight at the
heart OF every principle of political
decency and honesty, crime which
represents treason to the people and
The usurpation Of the sovereignty OF
tho people by irresponsible political
jbossess inspired! by the sinister in
snnentes Of moneyed privilege! We
here IN THIS hall are engaged not only
In fight for the rights Of every de.
cent RepHhlIeapi we are eng MI LIN.
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