Volume 17 , Issue 45

NW Okie's Journey

Before we look back into our history 103 years or so to the split of the two factions of the Republican party (conservative and progressive) we bring you a special snapshot of the snow that has been falling at Vallecito Reservoir this weekend and today (Monday).

Will the Republican Party's factions today split like it did in 1912? Back in 1912 Howard Taft was campaigning as a conservative on the Republican ticket, while Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull-Moosers (republican progressives) were splitting into the Bull-Moose (Buttermilk) party. The 1912 Democrat candidate for president was Gov. Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey.

Found on Newspapers.com

It was in the Fort Gibson New Era, Fort Gibson, Wagoner county, Oklahoma, dated 11 Jul 1912, Thursday, page 1, that we found this notation: "A meeting has been called to organize a Roosevelt or Bull-Moose party in this State, but Dynamite Ed Perry says he will have no hand in it."

James A. "Big Jim" Harris, Republican State chairman of Oklahoma, was on top of the Taft dump in the state of Oklahoma in 1912, and he would continue his fight to bring order out of chaos for the g.o.p., even though it was a hopeless task.

"Big Jim" was a fighter who never gave up and he also appreciated his friends as few public men did back then. This was true of the Republican newspapers in the State. If need be, "Big Jim" would go down fighting with them and for them. He had recently sent literature all over the State commending the loyal work of the party papers,, "without which, it would be utterly impossible for the Republicans to continue the fight."

Found on Newspapers.com

It was in the Lincoln Daily News, Lincoln , Nebraska, 26 August 1912, Monday, page 14, that we found another republican dissatisfied with his party: "Joseph W. Johnson was a state house visitor. Of twelve voters represented at the reunion, all of whom hahave been life long republicans, eleven would vote for Governor Wilson of New Jersey. Mr. Johnson himself would stay in the republican ranks but would vote for Colonel Roosevelt, the Bull-Moose candidate."

Found on Newspapers.com

Here is another interesting tidbit found in the Fort Gibson New Era, dated 18 July 1912, Thursday, page 6, concerning Roosevelt's third party : "The Roosevelt Third party Bull-Moose or Buttermilk party is to organize under the oak's at Jackson, Michigan, where the Republican party was organized July 6, 1854. Roosevelt is to be there July 20, and superintend the organization. The Roosevelt movement is no such movement as that of 1854, and will never be the party that the old republican party proved to be."

Good Night! Good Luck! Happy Holidays!
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---