Volume 14 , Issue 29

District Party Will Be Formed By Bull Moose

In The San Francisco Call, Tuesday 16 July 1912, page 2, these are the headlines you might have read concerning Colonel Roosevelt's Bull Moose party and his stand against his old Republican party where Roosevelt says there must be No Bartering with Regular Republicans: "District Party Will Be Formed By Bull Moose."

Oyster Bay, July 15, 1912 -- "Formation of a distinct independent party, and not the capture of the republican party is the course Colonel Roosevelt laid out for himself tonight. he took issue flatly with supporters who have advanced a proposal for effecting an agreement with the republican organization in some states through which, under certain conditions, the strength of the Roosevelt following might be thrown behind President Taft. The colonel will have none of it.

"I shall not acquiesce," he said. Colonel Roosevelt made it clear that he had decided upon a thorough going gift, independent of alliance with either party, which will put him in a position to appeal to democrats as well as republicans. In states in which his followers have control of the republican organization, he is ready to carry on his campaign through that medium.

"No compromise," is to be his battle cry.

No Bargains With Taftites

"The former president was prompted to make his position definitely known by reports that in several states, notably Pennsylvania and Maryland, a movement was on foot to have the same candidates for electors on both the Taft and Roosevelt tickets, with the agreement that the ticket which received the larger number of votes should obtain the entire electoral vote.

"William Flinn of Pittsburg and other Roosevelt leaders in Pennsylvania, the former president heard, had announced themselves in favor of the plan with the idea that by this meted the Roosevelt and Taft strength would be united against the democratic ticket. The colonel said emphatically that there would be no bargaining of this nature if he could prevent it.

"Colonel Roosevelt dictated this statement of his position:

"I see that in Pennsylvania and Maryland the proposal has been made that identical Roosevelt and Taft electors run and the electors who are chosen cast their votes for whichever, either Mr. Taft or myself, gets the most votes. I trust that no such plan will be adopted. I claim in every primary state, where the primaries were carried for me and where electors have been nominated that as a matter of the highest obligation those men are bound to vote for me, for I am the nominee of the overwhelming majority of the rank and file of the republican party and Mr. Taft's nomination represents nothing but the successful dishonesty of the Barnes-Penrose-Guggenheim machine and is not binding upon any honest republican.

Attacks Both Old Parties

"in certain primary states, as I understand it, there is now a contest on in the primaries to see whether my name or that of Mr. Taft shall be put on the regular ticket, instead of being nominated by petition, it being the intention of the party beaten in the primary to nominated its electors by petition. This is all right and proper; but, so far as I have any say in the matter, i shall not assent to any arrangement which by any circumstances my supporters or electors supported by them shall cast their votes for Mr. Taft.

"I make my appeal to all progressives, no matter what their past affiliations may be, who genuinely believe in progressive principles and who believe as I do, that both of the old party organizations are completely under the domination of the bosses and of special privileges and that both the Chicago and Baltimore platforms are fundamentally unprogressive and reactionary platforms, showing that it is hopeless to expect from either of the old parties, under present conditions, any real and far reaching progressive movement.

"Therefore, I hope that in every state the progressives, without regard to their past party affiliations, may have the chance to vote at the polls for electors who in the electoral college will cast their votes for the national progressive candidate for president.

Colonel's Last Word

Colonel Roosevelt added that he was willing to have the same electors on both the republican and the national progressive tickets as long as his supporters did not agree that the entire electoral vote of a state should go to President Taft if the republican ticket should receive the greater number os votes. Under such conditions any electors on the republican ticket who wished to vote for Roosevelt would be free to do so. To many any agreement of the kind proposed, in his opinion, would give the movement a tinge of republicanism and alienate democratic support.

"His declaration was regarded as a final answer to his followers, who have wished to lay less emphasis upon the new party idea and support Colonel Roosevelt on the ground that he was the rightful nominee of the republican party."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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