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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1912)
3 tCH 1, 1912 The Commoner. our sincere belief and best judgment as to t is demanded of you in the interests of the le asa wholo, and we feel that you would unresponsive to a plain public duty if you id decline to accept the nomination as tho ntary expression of the wishes of a majority the republican voters of the United States, ugh the action of their delegates .in tho next onal convention. Yours truly, "WILLLIAM E. GLASSCOCK, "CHESTER H. ALDRICH, "ROBERT P. BASS, "JOSEPH M. CAREY, ',.. "CHASE S. OSBORN, ;y "W. R. STUBBS, "HERBERT S. HADLEY. ijSnS2je Honorable Theodore Roosevelt, New York, N. Y." Washington. Feb. 25. NfiWHrmnprn finrl thA ' &P.es of Washington correspondents wore be- if.) i,- - swmmm3. iuuuj auu luiusub vyiuii puiouuat uuu lic" h .flwone calls from politicians and statesmen ask- SfW "T?? , . -, , , ,, , ,, s-,y,;, w wnai uoionei jttooseveit naa to say. f .,.&, -4rimin tiio liar, or anxious orrllfirs worn Rovnrjil isevelt boomers who had recently called on former president and to whom it was sup ed advance information of his intentions had h given. It was evident that few were pre ed for the crisp, unequivocal statement from j colonel that he was a candidate for tho re- : -ranoncan nomination. President Taft was given a copy of .his pre ssor s letter, but he would make no com- nt. White house officials were reticent but ' . i . . .. . . . ..... .f'(P"7 maae no attempt to disguise tneir interest. .3K'JHPUa Toff nnmnnlnn hiixnnn mnn nrlf fnnlnt pbjivw tan iu.uifjui(,u uuictiu vy no uuia luuigui, EKrector William B. McKinley having left Wash ington at noon for Chicago. ffhe only remark emanating from the presi dent during the day that at all bore upon tho tenie political situation was made to a senator '$who. asked that his name be not used. It was 'T.SM Til, - .tt VI T n.i J. WttUUVV WU U1B 11&U.L UXXU X iilli UUUUUtiUI. YVU pe successful." has been only in the last fortnight that P.regident Taft has -been willing to admit to his tyfc friends that he believed Colonel Roose-Mpw-ould enter the race against him for the notalnation. It is doubtful whether up to the minute he was fully convinced that any ouncement coming from his predecessor Id be without a string attached. That President Taft was deerjlv hurt to know &frpm now on he must engage in an open contest ;iamsi tiie man unaer wnom ne naa servea tor many years became known soon after the Roose- lt letter was made public. The relations be tween Colonel Roosevelt and Mr. Taft when the wttter servea as secretary or war were very close. President Taft refused to believe that Colonel Roosevelt would oppose him for a renoraination, and his conviction that the colonel would turn at, deaf ear to all who urged that he become a candidate was known to all .Mr. Taft's friends. These friends have pointed out that Secretary of ar Stimson. who ran for Governor of New York with Mr. Roosevelt, as his most conspicuous packer, and also Secretary of the Navy Meyer, HBBKwho was in the Roosevelt cabinet and one of his chief close counsellors, were in the Taft official family. It has been a matter of every day comment that Secretaries Stimson and Meyer have been- frequent visitors to Colonel Roosevelt's offices in New York or his home at Oyster Bay. These were accepted as proof that Taft and Roosevelt were not wholly estranged.. .ii j. 1 a:, MR. BRYAN AT DENVER Mr. Bryan spoke in the hall of representatives In the state capital building at Denver, February' 23rd. The meeting was presided over by Gover nor Shafroth. Mr. Bryan was introduced by former Governor Thomas. Following is an ex tract from the report of the Denver News: Hurling forth with all tho intensity of his wonderful oratory, the demand of the American people for reform measures, 'emphasizing re peatedly his backing of a progressive man for the presidency, tearing to shreds the records and the promises of Taft and Roosevelt, and flay ing Governor Judson Harmon for his opposi tion to the initiative and referendum and other progressive measures, William Jennings Bryan enthralled a crowd that filled the house cham ber in the state capitol for two hours last night. At times holding spell-bound the audience with intense earnestness and then speaking with stinging sarcasm, Bryan rocked the great crowd as he never before has controlled a crowd in Denver, even with all the excitement and en thusiasm of a presidential campaign. Bryan delivered an address on national ques tions filled with predictions of what present de- (Fac-Slmile from tho New York World, February Oth). HARMON SILENT ON THE VITAL QUESTIONS OF THE DAY SUBMITTED BY THE WORLD Ohio Governor Declines to Answer Queries Presented to Him in Ohio "I Have Made It a Rule to Decline to Answer Such Questions in Ad vance of the National Convention." A World reporter was sent to Columbus, O., a few days ago to submit to Judson Harmon, governor of that state and candidate for tho democratic nomination for the presidency, a list of ton questions covoring as many issues of party importanco. These questions were read to Governor Harmon in hiB office at tho Ohio state capi tol in this order: 1. What is your opinion of tho man ner in which the republican party has handled the tariff during the last three years? What action should the demo crats take, in your opinion? 2. Do you believe that the Sherman anti-trust law has been adequately en forced by recent republican administra tions? If not, what has been lacking in their handling of it? 3. Do you still believe that "guilt is personal" in violations of that law? 4. What should be tho proper atti tude of the government in dealing with the railways? 5. WU1 it be possible for the exercise of greater economy in the administra-. tion of the service without impairing its efficiency? Would you undertake any notable reforms in this respect? G. As between the two wingB of tho democratic party which havo been in dlsputo tho Bryan (radical) and the eastern (conservative) which do you think most strikingly appeals to tho voters? 7. Do you think the general attitude of tho republicans has really injured business interests? In what respect as shown by specific interests? What remedy would you suggest? 8. What is your position relative to tho initiative and referendum and re call, with particular reference to the recall of tho judiciary? 9. What changes, if any, do you favor in tho present policy of tho government in dealing with its colonial obligations, with particular reference to Porto Rico and tho Philippines? 10. To what extent do you believe Tho Hague Tribunal should control in International disputes? Governor Harmon listened to the reading of tho questions and said: "I have made it a rule to decline to answer such questions in advance of tho national pon vention." The World reporter urged him to reconsider his declination to reply directly to the World's questions. He was informed that Governor Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and Congressman Oscar Underwood of Alabama, all of whom are aspirants for the democratic presidential nomination, had given in detail their views on public questions submitted by the World. Governor Harmon, nowever, pereiBieuiu. ma uuuuuuliuu. -"! Ui' '. (Editorial in New York World, February 19). A BAD PRECEDENT. "I haye made it a rule to decline to answer such questions in advance of the National Convention," said Gov. Harmon of Ohio to a correspondent of Tho World. The Governor was referring to a list of questions printed elsewhere in today's issue of Tho World which have been discussed in detail by Gov. Wilson, Mr. Underwood and other leading demo crats. In 1904 Judge Parker refused to answer questions in advance of tho National Con vention or to define his attitude on the issues of the campaign. He took the same posi tion that Gov. .Harmon now takes. When the votes were counted Mr. Roosevelt's popular plurality was 2,545,515, and the returns showed that nearly 1,300,000 democrats who supported Mr. Bryan in 1900 had refused to support Judge Parker. This year it is certain that the democratic party will insist on a candidate for. president whose opinions are not wrapped in mystery. If Gov. Harmon expects to be nominated ho will havo to speak out. mands will accomplish. He declared 'that there were times when ho believed himself to be the strongest candidate and had accepted the nomi nation but he frankly, said that he believed that he was not the strongest candidate now. "But I will go out and fight for a progressive democrat with all the earnestness that I -ever fought for myself," declared the great com moner. There were several times during the speech when the crowd shouted its approval. One of these was when he exclaimed: "There has not been a campaign m which I was a candidate that I would not have been elected but for the Money trust." Again came thla tromendoug shout of ap proval, when, in speaking of Harmon, Bryan said: "I am opposed to any man being our standard bearer who speaks for retreat and would fight from tho rear." Q)0000000000009 0 0 0 WILL YOU JOIN IN THE EFFORT 0 0 TO INCREASE THE COMMONER'S ODB- 6 0 CULATION FOR 1D12? . 0 TAKE IT UP AT ONOE WITH YOUB 0 0 NEIGHBOR. 0 3 0 00Q u :tfdn&&ui&- J.Wj6.-"-nljmifill!