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Show , I THAT CRIME IN CHICAGO. The throwing out of the credentials of the two "Roosevelt delegates dele-gates from tho Fourth district of California, by the Republican Na-j Na-j ' tional Committee, is the most drastic, desperate, villainous act of the men who have set about to nominate Taft regardless of conse- quences. The presidential primary law of California makes all dele- gates state, instead of district, delegates, and requires that each dele- j gate be elected by a state-wide vote. Since the last general election, California has been redistricted and, instead of eight, the state now v has eleven districts. One of the re-formed districts is the Fourth, X with boundary lines entirely changed. Neither the voters nor the J judges at the last election could determine with any degree of ac- curacy whether the votes being cast were from within the lines of the new district, as the presidential primary law did not rccognizo dis- trict boundaries. The Taft delegates in this divided district claimed to have received a majority of 250, but there was no means by which to determine the vote, and even, if there had been, the primary call m was for a state-wide vote and to attempt to elect by districts -was without authority -of law. If the call of tlio Republican National Committee had been ignored by ordering state-wide, instead of dis- trict, primaries, thou the irregularity invalidated the entire primary H election and the whole California delegation was without rights in-H in-H eluding the delegates of the Fourth district. ' H But What is regularity or irregularity to a band of pirates? The National Committee, made up principally of rejected and repudiated politicians who are holding over on the assumption that then tenure of office does not end until after the national convention, is determined deter-mined to nominate Taft, if outlawry can accomplish that eruL It is just possible they will succeed owing to the bold disregard of justice and their utter contempt for public opinion. But what will they gain, othor-than the satiating of that meanest of all passions, cankerous can-kerous hatred. The Roosevelt men are not to be forced into the convention and there tied hand and foot. They will enter as free riicn arid they will come out unfettered, with a great duty to perform in return for the confidence reposed in them by an overwhelming majority of the , American people. Thoy must strike with all their might at the authors of fhe present corrupt methods in politics, and we know of no better way to hit effectively than to refuse to be bound by the proceedings of a convention conceived in iniquity and born in illegitimacy. |