New-York tribune., 1907-05-10
PEACE IN OHIO.

Peace scored another of It's mo less re-
nOwned" victories last Wednesday when the
Dick-FOraker organization in Ohio suddenly
discovered that it really favored the Presiden-
tial candidacy of Secretary William H Taft
For the last six or eight weeks reports have
been coming from Ohio to the effect that the
Republicans there were preparing for a war
OF determination. Senator Foraker had chal-
lenged the claim made on Secretary Tafts be-
half that he was the logical choice of the
state for the next Republican Presidential nom
ination. Mr. Foraker couldn't read the logic
of the situation" that way. Mr.. Taft, he was
willing to admit, represented more conspic-
uously than any other Republican in Ohio the
policies of the Roosevelt administration. But
In the senior Senator's view that was not neces-
sarily certificate of availability. On the con-
trary. Mr.. Foraker was disposed to think that
his own differences with the administration
might constitute a more valid claim on the
support of the Republicans OF Ohio. So san
gune was he of his own strength with the voters
that he proposed TO have q primary election
held to determine whether he or Mr. Taft stood
first in the confidence and affection of their
fellow Republicans
Mr.. Foraker counted on the support of his
colleague, Mr.. Dick, and Of the elements which
combined last fall at the Dayton convention
10 give him and Mr.. Dick a political vindication
But he apparently greatly overrated the strength
and value Of that alliance. The Dayton conven-
ton made itself ridiculous by trying 10 carry
water on both shoulders, indorsing President
Roosevelt for urging railroad rate regulation and
Senator Foraker for opposing IT, The forces
controlling the convention had neither con-
victon nor courage, and they gravely msrepre-
sented Republican sentiment in Ohio when
they attempted even indirectly to sustain the
two Senators in their differences with the Pres
ident That was The Tribune's belief last
summer, and we have never had any other idea
than that on a full, fair and deliberate poll of
the Republican voters President Roosevelt and
Secretary Taft would win by an enormous ma
jority over Senators Dick and Foraker
The signatories TO the Dayton alliance are
now beginning TO realize that they do not con-
troll the state and must lose on direct appeal
10 the people. They have mannuvred away
from their original demand for a primary and
seem willing to concede that Mr. Taft wOuld
be easily nominated on a Republican test vote
To save themselves, as well TO promote party
harmony, they are ready TO concede to the
Secretary of War the states support In the
next Republican National Convention. The anti
Taft and anti-Roosevelt Republican leaders In
Ohio are shrewd. They realize that there Is n
time for lighting and n time for ceasnR TO
fight and they have no relish for q head-on
collision with the inevitable Logic talks in
polucs when 1t Is real logic, and peace has a
welcome sound to COmbatants who are not
perverse enough to fight on merely for the sake
OF hghtng The world will be duler for the
calling off of the contest in Ohio But II will
have higher respect for the sagacity OF the
average Ohio politician