The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-11
A possrnI.E coNrIrcr

With all its loyalty to Republicanism. The Kansas City Journal is not blinded to certain facts that 1t sees or to cer- tain dangers threatening It's party. From a recent editorial, we make this rather lengthy extract:
 Is the constitution to be an issue in the Republican party for the presiden- tial campaign that is dawningy There significant--that the conservative lead CTS of the party have viewed with dis- tinct disapprobation the tendency1 of the administration toward RoseveIa oxermIehi is anything but a strict constructionist In his avowed policy of statecraft there Is no place for constitutionai i'm itations. In a dozen instances of ad- ministrative activity he has forced his own ideas of expediency above every objection of constitution adherents. istration newspapers have been given the word to open the Taft campaign. Here fir the West these organs have terest in the political affairs of the War Secretary that argues his deter imitation to start early. The assertion cans cans in Missouri @ and kansas are for Taft is mere guesswork, of course, and Is probably untrue; but that does not change, change the G GS1nditi9ns rde. or the general ,ba
 
 administrations condition. He Is Rooseveitian Boswell, the expiainer-in- chief to the President, and 1t is quite natural to suppose that Mir: Roosevelt wants a successor in his office who is in full sympathy with his views and policies and will carry them out:
 Senator Knox has received the in- dorsement of the Pennsylvania Republl- cans upon a platform that cries for return to the constitution. Knox has always been an earnest student and high rAgnacfnr nf that pharfRr of liner ty and his career in the Senate was notable for his frequent and eloquent pleas for conservatism and sanity. In a recent speech. Senator Knox warned the country against time when, in the face of storm, 1t will permit the chart to be. cast overboard.." And in Pennsylvania said; "A serious duty de wolves upon the guardians of the re- public to rally to the constitution, and I appeal to you, as members Of Penn sylvanias delegation. to be in the fore front of the defenders of that instru ment" Thus we find MT. Knox, at new. unique and important It may give him formidable advantage when the bugle blows for the battle to open.
 Can it be possible that there is to be a conflict in the Republican party be- tween the friends of the Constitution and the advocates of centralism? That is evidently the view The Journal takes of the future, and 1t is not slow to see that the President and head of its party Is the enemy of the Constitution. Such conflict would be the best thing that could happen for the country. A divided Republican party, especially on such an issue as that, could certainly have little hope of winning the presi- dency for we believe there are enough friends of the Constitution in that party to prevent the success of its enemies.
 Democrats are frequently fiouted and sneered at for referring to the dangers Of Rooseveltism. but men and news papers of his own party are beginning to see what he is leading them to. and we do not believe enough of them can be thus led to make it possible to elect a man of the Presidents un-American views. It may be that the warnings of such men as Senator Knox will be needed. and that Republicans will re- fuse to follow Roosevelt and other leaders of his way of thinking to cer- tain defeat, but it is hard to tell. He has A large following and strong in- huence, and possibly he may control the convention and force 1t to adopt his policies and nominate his. man. In any event, the road for the Democrats to follow is too plain to be mistaken.