the right to reverse the decision of a judge
who set aside any act of a state legislature passed in the interests of
social welfare. The Progressive Republicans, impressed by these
addresses, turned from La Follette to Roosevelt and on February 24,
induced him to come out openly as a candidate against Taft for the
Republican nomination.

=The Split in the Republican Party.=--The country then witnessed the
strange spectacle of two men who had once been close companions engaged
in a bitter rivalry to secure a majority of the delegates to the
Republican convention to be held at Chicago. When the convention
assembled, about one-fourth of the seats were contested, the delegates
for both candidates loudly proclaiming the regularity of their election.
In deciding between the contestants the national committee, after the
usual hearings, settled the disputes in such a way that Taft received a
safe majority. After a week of negotiation, Roosevelt and his followers
left the Republican party. Most of his supporters withdrew from the
convention and the few who remained behind refused to answer the roll
call. Undisturbed by this formidable bolt, the regular Republicans went
on with their work. They renominated Mr. Taft and put forth a platform
roundly condemning such Progressive doctrines as the recall of judges.

=The Formation of the Progressive Party.=--The action of the Republicans
in seating the Taft delegates was vigorously denounced by Roosevelt. He
declared that the convention had no claim to represent the voters of the
Republican party; that any candidate named by it would be "the
beneficiary of a successful fraud"; and that it would be deeply
discreditable to any man to accept the convention's approval under such
circumstances. The bitterness of his followers was extreme. On July 8, a
call went forth for a "Progressive" convention to be held in Chicago on
August 5. The assembly which duly met on that day was a unique political
conference. Prominence was given to women delegates, and "politicians"
were notably absent. Roosevelt himself, who was cheered as a conquering
hero, made an impassioned speech setting forth his "confession of
faith." He was nominated by acclamation; Governor Hiram Johnson of
California was selected as his companion candidate for Vice President.
The platform endorsed such political reforms as woman suffrage, direct
primaries, the initiative, referendum, and recall, popular election of
United States S