Flinn Ultimatum Angers Taft Men.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 13, 1912:
Pennsylvania Congressmen Are Roused to Fighting Mood by Bull Mooser's Terms
BUT MANY ARE TEMPTED
Proffer of Support If They Remain Neutral In National Fight May Lure Those Seeking Re-election.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.— The threatened ultimatum from William Flinn of Pittsburgh, the Bull Moose leader of Pennsylvania, was received to-day by Republican Congressmen from that State, and caused a great stir. While undoubtedly many members of the delegation will be glad to seek refuge in the neutrality which is prescribed as one clause of the ultimatum, many others are fighting angry, and declare that they will accept no dictation from Flinn or anybody else. A meeting of the delegation may be called Thursday, when the whole situation will be gone over and some plan for common defense devised.
    The three demands of the Bull Moose leader are:
    First— That the candidates for Congress pledge neutrality in the fight between Col. Roosevelt and the President.
    Second— That each man elected promise to support all Progressive measures in Congress, Progressivism being defined as anything that is opposed by Senators Penrose and Oliver.
    Third— If the election of the President is thrown into the House, each Congressman must pledge himself to support the Republican candidate obtaining the greatest number of votes in his district.
    It is not definitely set forth how this message came to Washington. It has been said for several days that Representative Porter of Pittsburgh, Mr. Flinn's Washington lieutenant, would be the emissary, but to-day Mr. Porter, although he had many conversations with members of the delegation, denied having brought any such message. The anger of the Congressman, however, makes it plain that the message was delivered by some one whose authority was not doubted.
    Mr. Porter outlined to his colleagues the terms on which Flinn would give them the indorsement of the third party. Mr. Porter seemed a bit worried by his prominence in the matter. He declared his only object was to save some of his colleagues from possible defeat, that he was only acting as "peacemaker," but he realized what the peacemakers often get and thought perhaps he might get the same thing.
    A canvass of a large part of the delegation this evening showed that most of the Republicans who are candidates for re-election will refuse to agree to the terms proposed by the third party. They may change their minds later, for it is
a tempting bait that Flinn holds out. If they accept his offer they need have no worry about their own political fortunes in this campaign. There are few districts in Pennsylvania where the Democratic vote will exceed the combined vote of the Republicans and Roosevelt men. This is why the Presidential boat even now has a decided list to starboard.
    The Pennsylvania Congressmen here today informally seconded the demand of David H. Lane, Chairman of the Philadelphia Republican Committee, that State Chairman Henry G.. Wasson of Pittsburgh retire. They want a man for the campaign whose loyalty to Taft's cause is unquestioned. Exactly how Mr. Wasson can be ousted is not apparent.