The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-14
He and Roosevelt Are Members
Of New Club
KEEP UP FIGHT ON RING
The Secretary of War Will Confer
With His Brothers In New York
Today to Determine His
Official Future.

Cincinnati Ohio, March 13.-President
Roosevelt and William H. Taft were TO-
night unanimously elected honorary MEM
bers of the Roosevelt Republican club of
this city. This club is new organization.
formed after the recent election as an in
strument for the maintenance of a repub-
lican organization opposed to bossism
and machine politics.
In a long letter of acknowledgment
and acceptance of the honor for himself
and for President Roosevelt Secretary
Taft makes some striking statements.
Referring to the recent defeat of George
B. Cox as a political leader in this city.
the secretary says this is a great step
toward good municipal government. but
it's benefit may be largely lost If the
people put themselves on their back with
the pleasant idea that the machine is
broken up, and that the future will take
care of itself.
Effects Must Be Permanent.
The truth is that the victory will be
worse than fruitless unless some means
are devised to make its effects perma-
nent. 1t is idle to hope that people may
be aroused at every political contest to
defeat machine states unless there are
counter organizations made up OF young
men actuated by the patriotic desire to
select only good candidates
He advises against the club becoming
a "better than you association" which
h. says would defeat its own object by its
exclusiveness and lack of practical sense
Continuing, he says;
"The assistance of men of honesty and
character who were associated more or
less with the machine when it seemed
an powerful but really rejoice now at
what seems its downfall ought not to be
rejected if you find II offered in good
faith.
Candidate Must Be Worthy.
"The members of such club as the
Roosevelt club. although an orthodox re-
publican organization, may very well de-
cline to support the candidates of its own
party If such candidates are plainly lack
ing in the qualifications according to the
standard which they may properly set
for the selection of public officers. Still.
II is well to use a wise discretion in bolt
Ing. The important question will always
be in what way we can secure and exer-
else the greatest influence for good and
you cannot afford in practical politics
(and there are no other politics. to ignore
the strength which adhereance to regu-
larity gives you as a club in working re-
forms within the party.
''The conduct of municipal affairs has
no natural relation to the conduct Of ma
tlonal affairs, and while it does not seem
possible to eliminate from municipal cleo
tions the system of nominating party
tickets, there ought certainly to be culti-
waited a much wider spirit of independ-
ence at municipal elections in the scratch
ing of improper candidates selected by
either party than is likely to be ever ex-
erclsed with reference to state or national
elections"
Concluding, Secretary Taft says that
the club can accomplish much more by
selecting those best qualified for candl-
dates for public office and not simply
because the candidate may be member
of the club.