Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-05-09
Open Forum
AS TO MIR. WILLIAMS RECORD
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To the Editor:s
At the republican primary held in
Oregon in 1912 the republican voters
had an opportunity to express their
choice of the three presidential eandi-
dates. The result was as follows:
Roosevelt, 2S,905.
La Toilette 22,491.
Taft, 20,517.
By this election Oregon clearly ,ex-
pressed a preference for Roosevelt. At
this same lime 1 was elected a delegate
TO the national republican convention
at Chicago. which l attended with other
delegates from Oregon. I felt obligated
to represent the expressed wishes Of the
voters of my party. Ralph E. Williams
was chen the national committeeman
for Oregon. If, as such national commit
teeman, Mr.. Williams had voted in ac-
cordance with the expressed wishes of
the republicans of Oregon the history of
the republicans as well as that Of the
United States probably would have been
much different than it is. Instead of do
ing as directed by his constituency he
went to Chicago and formed an al
lance with men like Penrose and others
opposed to Roosevelt.
l submit, without regard to whether
a man was a Roosevelt man, q La Fol
letae man or a Taft man, it was the duty
of Mr.. Williams to follow the wish
of his constituency and use his office
of national committeeman to carry out
the expressed will of the people of Ore
gon. Instead of doing this he, with
other men opposed to Roosevelt, used
their influence against Roosevelt. che
seats of several hundred delegates
were under contest and upon the decis-
ion of these contests alone depended ,lhe
question of who would be nominated.
AS national committeeman, Mr.. Will
liams cast his vote regularly against the
Roosevelt delegates and when the con-
tests WC1e all decided Mr.. Williams and
his associates had given seats to 30
M;lny anti L0Oso1 cit men thai they Were
in complete control of the convention.
Moreover he openly Icastod Of the fact
that they needed so nam voters to bea.
Roo.4s. anJ ta.y Ve't out and got
them.
1 charge Mr.. Williams with helping
to decide these contests against Roose-
welt not upon .dheir merits but solely
for the purpose of controlling the con-
vcntion. 1t was the ruthless disregard of
the merits Of these contests that caused
the spills in ihe republican party.
Ifu '.1i;n.nc 1xtthn1rt rfnord tO thn
merits Of the case voted against the
Roosevelt delegates and against the ex-
pressed wish of the Oregon people. Fur
thermore, he openly counseled and ad.
vised the members Of HE Oregon dele.
CATION to disregard the instructions of
Oregon voters to support Roosevelt. The
result of Mr.. Williams and his asso-
ciates running their steam roller rough
shod over the opposition was the split
in the republican parry and the election
of q democrat president and democrat
senate.
Mr.. Williams without regard to the
mitteeman ten years. He is so out OF
sympathy with the rank and file of the
republicans of Oregon that they have
repeatedly refused 40 follow his leader
ship.
Since he has been national committee
man, Chamberlain has twice been elect
ed 70 the United States senate, Oswald
West has been elected governor, Harry
Lane has been elected to the United
States senate and Wilson has carried
Oregon once. Williams surely has not
much in his record to point to with pride.
Is it not time for a new deal9 Is not
ten years long enough for ono man to
mismanage the political affairs of Ore.
gonl Is it nci time to put a man at
the head Of the party who will recognize
his duty to obey the expressed wish
OF the voters of his partyH Such a mar
is Bruce Dennis. He, too, was at the
Chicago convention, but he used his in
fluence in urging Oregon's representa-
tiyes to perform their du " and to us'
p