The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-23
7. R. CHALLENGES
Icontinued from Page one.l
ton on the issues in advance of the
Chicago convention.


ton on the issues in advance of the
Chicago convention.
Old Time Enthusiasm.
Old time enthusiasm marked the
events on the hill Monday. The COM
nittee which called upon the colonel
to tender him the support of an or
ganization of regular Republicans was
made up largely of men who support
ed Taft four years ago. They repre-
scented every walk of life and former
Secretary of the Navy Meyer. who
acted as spokesman, informed the
colonel that 80 states had already
Joined the movement which within a
ritory in the union. 1t was the Access
sion of so many of the old supporters
of Taft which seemed to please Roose-
welt most.
George Won L. Meyer, Taft's secre-
tary of the navy, informed the colonel
of the organization of the commit
tee, and its plans.
Among the former Taft men who
were present and assured the colonel
of their support there were two whose
words affected him deeply One of
these was Prof. Hiram Bingham a
member OF the Yale faculty and
close personal friend of Mr.. Taft.
Professor Bingham has done dis
tinguished work in Peru. On the lawn,
after the formal proceedings were over
Professor Bingham and Roosevelt
were engaged in a private chat when
the latter suddenly called out: Come
over here, gentlemen; I want you to
hear what Professor Bingham has
been telling me-
Bingham's Statement.
Il have just been saying said the
professor, when the crowd gathered
about him, that I have had to give
up exploration for a time because it is
too great luxury under present con-
ditions- 1 found in Peru that the word
of an American counted for nothing
at all. We were constantly under sus-
picion of shipping out of the coun-
try gold of the IncaS and there was
no respect for Americans and even
danger If we protested too much
against the treatment received. All
of it was due to the lack of a foreign
policy on our part, so 1 abandoned the
work So, recently, sir, when 1 read
your speech on Americanism and pre-
paredness, L determined, in spite of
my regard for dear old Bill Taft, that
you We're the man the country needs
and L determined to give you all the
support 1 had to command"
Well. that's perfectly fine" cried
Roosevelt. II am particularly touched
because 1 remember that you were on
| posed to me, especially on my inter-
probation of the Monroe Doctrine"
4 am with you now in everything
I a
| burst of applause
Can't Expect Respect.
| And what you have said bears out
exactly what my old friend, Edmund
| Heller, has been writing me about
/ condition; in South America. We
! can not expect, gentlemen, that there
will be any respect for US in other
countries as long as we maintain such
a policy as that which has character
lied our attitude in Germany and
Mexico
William c. Ralston, son of a former
| governor of California and sub-treas-
urere of the United States at San
Francisco in the Taft administration
said:
Colonel Roosevelt, four years ago
was SO heartily with Taft that when
his name was taken off the official
ballot in California 1 voted for Wilson
rather than vote for you
| Fine, lovely" cried Roosevelt
But 1 am glad to see you here to-
day
I'm trying now to atone for 1872
said RalSfon