The Daily Missoulian., 1912-06-21
Colonel ROoSevelt's Statement

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considering what they will do, 1t will
be well to keep In mind the remark
made In private by one OF the nation
al committeeman, who, when asked
why they had stolen so many more
delegates than were needed for their
purpose answered that Il would en-
able the credentials committee Ia
make show of generosity by unscat-
ing some, while retaining number
amply sufficient to accomplish all the
ends they have In view. Moreover,
II Is sNwell to remember that the fraud
Is equally great and equally repre-
hensible whether the fraudulent dele
4 gates actually vote on the nomina-
ton for president or whether they are
simply used to create situation
which renders II unnecessary for them
to vote on the nomination for presi-
dent. If the roll is not purged In
view of these fraudulently elected del
egates. the whole election OF the con
vention Is tainted.
The committee on rules, against the
protests of the progressive members
has just provided for the pcrpetuation
| of the national committee in the form
responsible, for the scandalous out
RACES which at this moment have
brought the republican party to thu
breaking point. and they explicitly have
refused to recognize the principles of
popular presidential primaries and
: have made the national committee su-
preme over the people In the matter
OF primaries.
unfortunately In our political life
the unscrupulous man who commits
wrongs such as these can usually count
of having some respectable men sup
port him and other respectable men
oppose him, but cease their opposi-
tion at the point when II would be-
come really effective.
IN this connection, the unscrupu-
lous men who are the leaders have al
ready received support from the for
mer class OF respectable men and they
count upon seeing representatives Of
the latter class. who have hitherto
voted against them. fear to take tho
decisive step of sundering connce tty,,
with the fraudulent convention itself.
Declines to Be Bound.
Such are the facts about the nu-
tional convention as now constituted
decline any longer to he bound by
any action II may take. l decline to
regard as binding any nomination 1t
may make. do not regard successful
! fraud and deliberate political theft as
constituting title to party regular
ity. or claim to the support of any
honest man of any party.
| Il hope that the honestly elected
majority will at once insist upon the
purging OF the roll In its entirely and
not piecemeal. By the convention. If
this purging is not accomplished, |
| hope the honestly elected delegates will
decline all further connection with n
convention. whose proceedings Is
now determined and has hith-
erto been determined by ma.
Jority which is made majority
only by the action of the fraudulent
delegates whom the convention has re-
| fused to strike from the rolls. II the
.. leaders of the honestly elected ma
J'''ss o'So6t'c WIN Ine III IUlS matter
and wish. for any cause. to defer for
the moment this action. then most
earnestly hope that at least they will
insist on considering the cases of
these fraudulent delegates In block and
not separately.
we cannot afford to pardon a thief
on condition that he surrenders half
tho stolen goods.
'If the honestly elected majority of
the convention choose to proceed with
business and to nominate me as the
candidate OF the real republican party,
shaii accept. lf some among them
fear to take such IA stand and the re-
mainder choose to inaugurate a move-
! ment to nominate me for the presi-
dency as progressive on a progress
sive platform and IL In such event the
general feling among progrcssives IA
vors my being nominated, I shall ac-
cept.
I'm either case I shall-make my an.
peal to every honest citizen In the ma
ton. and l shall fight the campaign
throush, win or lose. even IL | do not
get a single electoral vote. | do not
wish a single man to support me from
any personal feeling for me. I have
nothing to offer any man: any man
'sho supports me will do SO without
nope of gain and at the risk OF per-
sonal loss and discomfort. But IT,
having this interview. these fervent in
this great fight for the rule of the
people and for social and Industrial
Justice. which has now also become a
clearcut fight for honesty against dis
honesty. fraud and theft, desire me to
lead the fight, l will do SO.
There can be no cause for which II
is better worth while to fight, none
IN which II is of less consequence what
happens to the individual himself, pro.
vided only that he valiantly does his
duty IN the forward movement. |
span make my appeal to all honest
men. east and west, north and south
and gladly abide the result whatever
that result may be.
eSisned) Theodore Roosevelt"
BANDITS VICTIM DIES.
Grass Valley CaL.. June 2o.-Evan