The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-23
BoRAH-RoosEvBLT RUPTURE.

Ever since The Republican National
Convention of June in Chicago. there
have been intima tions that direct per
sonal rupture occurred between Senator
Borah of Idaho and Col, Roosevelt dur
ing that convention. Senator Borah
was Il stalwart Roosevelt man. and as
a member Of the National Republican
nority who stood wherever il was rea
sonably possible, for Col. Roosevelt 8 in
terests. Bnt Senator Borah, III common
with others of the Roosevelt members
OF that committee. refused to stand for
tho Himsv and baseIess contests in
Roo5cvelt's interest brought from the
Southern States. The committee unani-
mously rejected the principal part of
the Roosevelt contests This appears
to have given Roosevelt offense; espe
cially does it appear that the action OF
Senator Borah in the Indiana cases an
gercd Roosevelt, for even after all OF
Roosevelt s friends on the National
Committee voted against the seating of
the Roosevelt delegates from Indiana,
Roosevelt continued to denounce the act
Of the committee in that case as politi-
cal brigandagc, absolutely indefensible
in Jaw or morals. This naturally would
uette a man of Independence and good
Judgment like Senator Borah, and 9th
ers also Of the Roosevelt men on that
committee. But no open rupture oc-
pn "a u'oS
matter Of compromise candidate that
the rupture between these two distin-
guished friends is alleged to have como.
The story has not been told generally,
but We find in the Boise Statesman
clipping from the Olathe (Kansas) Mir
ror giving the narrative in detail as
follows:
When it became evident that Roosevelt
could not be nominated, Senator Borah
OF aho made the colonel the following
proposition as coming from Taft leaders,
who. he stated, were able to deliver the
goods; THE roll will be purged of the
7S delegates we claim are tainted, pro-
be adopted. Taft and Roosevelt both to
withdraw and we will name Hadley by
acclamatlon. Colonel Roosevelt was
seated at a table under a glass chande~
licr when he received the proposal from
Borah He sprang to his feet and raised
his fist. smashing the handeier then
bringing his fist down on the table with
whack. he said; "By God. 1 will never
do 1t. Let them purge the roll and then
come to me and ] will tell them what |
will do" There was silence and a
drawing away for few seconds and then
Rorah. white faced. said: We'll, colonel,
In the future you and your friends can
do as you please, but you can't make a
iackass out OF me any longer" Borah
Immediately left the room and never re-
turned
Shortly afterward Roosevelt issued his
famous statement, 81 can o6iy serve the
progressive cause by bearing the brunt
The above statement was personally
given to the editor of this paper by one
OF the Roosevelt delegates from Kansas
City. who was high enough in the coun-
of all the Roosevelt delegates OF the
United States. His name is Homer B,
Mann. the original Roosevelt man of
Kansas City. His office Is In the Dwight
building, Tenth and Baltimore, IL you
care to verify this statement.
We do not know that any significance
is to be attached to the publication in
the Boise Statesman, Senator Borah S
home paper, in his home town, Of this
story; but it would not be unreasonable
to suggest that there is such signiti-
canoe; and as the story bears on its face
prima facie good semblance Of au
thenticity, and as the Statesman says
that it "seems to be- pretty straight, +"
We assume that it is at least worth pub
fishing, and it may well turn out to be
an authentic narration Of an important
political event. As the Statesman says,
"Certainlv il is not to the discredlt
of Senator Borah,' and we may say
further, that it is quite IN accord with
other statements that have been made
of the peremptory refusal Of Col Roose-
Welt to consider any one else than him
self for the Republican nomination by
that convention.