New-York tribune., 1907-12-13
THE FINAL WOhD.

,,,uo bo. navar heen any substantial reason
for doubling President RooseveitS uhShahen
nurDose to abide by the announcement VIII"
ba made TO the country on the night aiteI the
election of 1904, and he may naturahy nave
felt strongly disinclined to repeat statement
so Deliberate and decisive But circumstances
o+ length forced him to conclude that it was
due not so much to himself as to the various
candidates for the Republican nomination for
tho presidency. to the party and TO the country
that he should take notice of and put an emu
IN doubts sincerely entertained or mallciousIy
nrofessed. There are probably those who VIII
continue TO hope for miracle, though that at
titude can hardly be considered credltaOle 10
their OWN intelligence or respectful 10 the FfeS
ident while there is always room III some
minds for malevolent conjectureS. But no rea-
sonabIe person can henceforward question the
fnality of the Presidents remuneration.
1t is too early to predict the effect of this
inconvenient disarrangement of their calcula-
tions upon those who have been making use OF
the Presidents name and strength to serve thelr
own unavowed purposes, but otherwise MS an
nouncement clarifies the situation with which
every acknowledged candidate has to deal Sen
ator Hansbrough put the case very well when
he said: Undoubtedly the effect Of it Will be
"to accentuate the candidacy of others who have
abeen mentioned for the nomination and VIII
bring them more prominently to the front.
That is about all which can be said with any
certainty as yet, but in view of the complica-
tons which have arisen. or been fashlohsd lor
one purpose or another that is a good deal
The Senator from North Dakota added: In
.rnv Judgment next to the President, Secretary
Taft is the general favOrite."
Our own opinion Is that the Presidents utter
ance imparts a body and substance to Mr.,
Tafts candidacy which it has heretofore lacked
because of the measure of success with Whlch
some friends and more enemies of the President
have sought TO create a belief that he desired,
was willing or might be constrained to become
his own political legatee. But while he has
permitted the fact TO appear that he regarded
Mr.. Taft's candidacy with particular favor he
is well aware that it is far easier to express a
preference than TO deliver votes in a convention
and the Secretary's eager supporters VIII he
unwise If they assume that this latest develop
ment means anything more than fair field for
a hard fight
The most interesting and agreeable reflection
which the incident suggests is the well deserved
good fortune of the Republican party in having
at command so large a number of fit and sea
Soned men from whom to choose a PreSldentlaI
candidate next June While the Democracy Is
reapsing into the arms of Mr.. Bryan. with only
here and there ftful effort TO escape the
party in power entertainS doubt of its ability
to remain in power under the leadership OF any
one of many thoroughly equipped patriots and
statesmen That is the result and the reward
of steadfast adherence to- sound principles and
policies of government inspired by intelligent
devotion to the general welfare of the country