The Sentinel=record., 1912-08-17
BE REPUBLICANS
 OR BULL MOOSE
TAFT SCORES STRADDLlNG ELEc. TORS IN FIRST SPEECH OF
 THE CAMPAIGN.
Says if They Are Not Regulars, They Should Get off the Ticket
 Entirely.

Washington, Aug. 16.-President Taft today made his first political speech since that when notified of his nomination.
 Addressing members of the Mary land republican editorial association at the white house, he declared blunt, ly that republican electors were dis honest men" If they let their names appear on the republican ballot and intended to vote for the candidate of another party. He asserted that those who were not for the republi- can party were against it and should get out of the way.
 "Al we ask is a fair fight A man cannot be in the republican party and in a third party at the same time, and should be compelled to make his SC lection" said the president. 'Regu larity or feeling of regularity and re, spect for the republican party are going to bring over into the republi- can party many a man who has been doubtful and it is going to increase that number in my judgment, as we approach the election. It is, there fore, essential that we make the cleavage as clear as can be made so that those who are republicans shall be republicans and those who are with the bolters shall bear their name and title. We ought to have electors in each state bearing the emblem of the republican party, bearing the names of the candidates of that party at the head of the ticket covering the cleo tors who are going to vote for those names. If there are any men on that list. who are not going to vote for the men at the head of that ticket, l don't hesitate to say they are dishon- est in that they are holding out to the people, who are to vote for them an implied promise that they will vote for the names on the ticket when, in fact. they intended to vote for somebody else"
 Some of the editors told the presi- dent that either electors chosen for the republican ticket in Maryland would declare their intention to sup port him or a new convention would make new selections.
 The president began his speech with brief summary of what the re publican party stands for. He said in part:
 We are republicans; we believe in maintaining the constitution and il progress along the lines that the con stitution indicates. We are pro.ec tionists, and we are in favor of main taining the present prosperity by main taining a tariff system which shal preserve business as it goes on anC shall secure as high wages as possible to the wage earners and a reasonable profit to those who invest their capi tai Those two propositions cover : good deal Of republicanism.
 Being a party, we are anxious tC have the opinions that our party rep resents put into force in the opera ton of the government We have 4c be a single party and not a part ol two parties. I don't think we are un fair in asking that we be given 6 chance for a fair fight and in counting those against Us who are not with us To have a man on both sides of the fight when you are on one Side Is un comfortable, especially when he is be hind you
 Before the convention it is all right that we should differ as to the men best qualified to represent us but after the convention. each voters influence should carry it's proper anC proportionate weight in the election of the party's candidates"