The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-12-15
PRESIDENTIAL PROBLEMS.


From the st. Croix River in Maine,
to Encinada, ON the Mexican line OF
California; from Key West to Cape
Flattery; from this moment to the fall
ing of the Speakers gavel on the close
of the great Republican convention at
Chicago in June next, the living ques-
tion will be 'Who is to be the Republi-
can Presidential nomineef'
We beg to answer this in part, towit,
in a negative sense, right now, by say
ing that the nominee win not be
THEODORE ROOSEVELT! Whosoever
it may be, the country must reconcile
itself to the loss of this mans services
in such capacity. He has said he will
, not be a candidate, and has re-affirmed
it on the very eye of the agitation Of
the absorbing and vital question. His
first declaration should have been suf-
ffieient land was, for great number
OF the people,, but his second statement
that he will not, under any conditions,
be a candidate, and this at the moment
of his EXTREMIST popularity with those
would who east the compelling vote,
drives the nail of conviction into the
very core OF national consciousness
1t is to be hoped, for his sake and
that of the whole country, the man who
shall be chosen, win be of his ilk. Any
thing distinctiely short Of this will be
universally disappointing and may prove
calamitous in the long run. America
owes it to herself to maintain the stand
ards this man has set for her; and it
strikes us that before the convention
dissolves it will hear directly from the
people in terms that mean something
beside the play of politics and personal
ambitions.
It is conceded that William H. Taft
is nearest to the type and temperament
of the Rooseyeltian administrative doc
trines, besides being the personal choice
of the President, himself; and it is well
within the possibilities that the honor
will go to the big Ohioan; but even he,
with all the prestige accruing to him by
reason of his portfolio and the endorse
ment of his friend and chief, will have
to take the range of popular expectation
clearly and quickly and live up to it
religiously, or he will fail and the people
will lose.
Concession runs no further, at this
writing than to include the present,
popular Governor of New York, Charles
E. Hughes, who, by virtue of his clean
and courageous administration of affairs
in that great commonwealth, has shown
himself to be Of timber that measures |
up to the criterions set by patient,
yet kncwledgable, people, and hope is
pinned to him in large ratio throughout
the country, though the newness of the
man interferes with any unanimous ex.
preston as yet.
The public temper will not stand for
any man who, by the remotest relation
shall be identified with the interests"
the trusts, and baleful syndicates, that
are banded against everything Roose-
veltian; and the blunder of the century
will be made if a man of this stripe is
chosen. Mr.. Bryan, and indeed far
lesser man than he, will hae a walk
over to the White House, if the Chicago
convention falls under the spell of Wall
Street this summer; and the revulsion
will be straightway, and promptly fixed
upon Republican shoulders. There is
crisis afoot and it behooves the use of
everlasting and invincible Republican
gumption to meet and master it in
way altogether popular