AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10409, 24 July 1912, Page 3

AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

MR ROOSEVELT’S “BOLT.”

San Francisco, June 26.

Its imst Inveterate) enemy could have wished no greater damage to the Republican patty than it in-, flioted upon itself last week In Chicago. The net result of the spectacular and momentous battle in the nomlnarißg convention between President Tatfe and Mr Theodore Roosevelt Is that the part? which has ruled in national affairs continuously for fifty years, with the exception cf the Jwn terms during which Cleveland was President, la Irretrievably split in two. Whether this means the,death of the party, or whether one of the factions will gain strength ’enough to carry on the Republican tradition, is a question that only time can answer. But that this year at least tho Democrats, will win in the Presidential election seems a foregone conclusion The popular opinion Is that with a yellow dog for its candidate the Democratic party could prevail. The breach between she progressiva and "standpaE” Republicans is more than a mere difference within £ha party which will bo overlooked at election-time, Tho two wings of the party have Darted company for fgood. In point of fact, a new party has been born, aad Ms Roosevelt will ba, its nominee for President. The convention which last Saturday night noaalaotad Mr Taft, the I bulk of the Roosevelt supporters j refusing to vote, was a fitting climax | to the bitter battle waged between these leaders from the day the exPrcsldanfanacmacsd bis candidature. Tho delegates met with blood in their eyas, prepared for a death grapple, boenes of physical violence were feared, and probable were prevented only by the fact that hundreds of policemen were in and about the convention hall. The language used by the opposing cohorts was probably unparalleled in a political convention for malignity and lack of restraint. “Robbers,” "thieves,” "crooks,” “liars,” were some of the terms with which the speeches of delegates in and out of the convention were peppered. Most of this language came from the Roosevelt delegates. The Taft side of the struggle, at all times secure in the possession of a small but immovable majority, were more restrained in their language; but it must be admitted the rough rider’s men were the more tried. If there was one thing demonstrated more plainlyphaa anything else by the campaign preceding the assembling of the convention, it was that the rank "and file of the Republicans wished to have Roosevelt for their candidate. In those States in which the voters were allowed to express their choice by means of primary elections, about 80 per cent of the voters yyera for Mr Roosevelt and 20 per cent, for Mr Taft. It may be c asked how, then, does it happen that Mr Taft la the official nominee of the party and not Mr Roosevelt. jThe answer Is that the machine in American politics has once again proved itself impregnable. Tbe machine didn’t want Mi Roosevelt. therefore it defeated the announced will of the people. It was suicidal, because it is about as certain as anything human Is capable of being forecast, that next November Mr Taft will be rejected by the voters, whereas Mr Roosevelt if given the Republican nomination would in all probability have carried snfiiaient papular strength to defeat auy man the Democrats might bring out. The bosses of the machine know this. But with them it was "anything to beat Roosevelt,” and some of them have scarcely disguised their preference that their party should be defeated rather than be victorious with Mr Roosevelt as tbe standard-bearer.

Ms Roosevelt, in announcing hie withdrawal from the Republican party under its present leadership, summed up the situation in striking language. He said: “The old national committee, chosen by the politicians four years ago, made up a temporary roll, including some 90 fraudulent delegates, and thereby tbey controlled a majority of the convention. This fraudulent majority. in turn, chqse a fraudulent Credentials Committee, and all the fraudulent delegates voting on one anothers’ case thereby made np the permanent roll, which constituted the fraudulent convention. Then this fraudulent convention chose a new and not less fraudulent National Committee. This vicious circle must be broken. The powerful, crooked political bosses have, and ought to have, no feeling but contempt for the honest men Who submit to their violent and unscrupulous dishonesty “ A formal convention of the new Progressive party will assemble in Denver in August; consisting of .delegates from every State In the Union, and with due form nominate Roosevelt and a candidate for Vicepresident fand adept a radical platform. Bolters - have Invariably been defeated In the national e arena of American politics, and it is not at all likely that Roosevelt, despite his extraordinary hold on the mass of the people, will prove angexception. Ha will, however, poll a fat larger popular vote than Taft. The new party will appeal to the progressive voters of the Democratic party as well as to Republicans, and will campaign in the South as well as in the North. ,