The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-10-12

stages Of the Republican party ad-
vIsed against submcrging the move
ment In each locality to mere local is
sues"
The Republican party was national
organization before Lincoln appeared
as its prophet II was founded on
national issue, that of slavery. and
was the outcome Of the prolonged agi-
tation of the abolitionists, the de-
cadence of the Wing party and the
general breakup of all party organiza-
tions opposing the historic Democracy.
II was not originally organized locally
to nominate candidate for mayor,
nor was II made state organization
to nominate the same candidate for
governor. Nor indeed did 1t enter
the national field to nominate--but Mr..
Hearst says he will never again be a
candidate for elective Office.
The Republican party had Its first
inception in the minds of number of
members of congress. They, after long
discussion, called the convention which
met under the oaks al Jackson, Mich,
and created the party which has been
the only successful opposition to the
Democratic party since the days OF
Jefferson. 1t sprang from a popular
unrest and popular agitation, not
| from the ambitions, the mind aud the
money of one man. How far the In
dependence, league falls short of either
the Republican or Democratic idea OF
self government Is fairly indicated by
the fact that the state leagues are all
incorporated, control Of the corpora
tions being vested in Mr.. Hearst him
SELF As for the national league, It is
enough to call attention TO the fact
that the committee in providing for a
national organization authorized Mr..
| Hearst personally TO select all of its
members, to appoint all of its officers
and even to determine whether It
should or should not call convention
and put ticket in the field. That is
hardly the American method Of pro-
ceeding toward a popular political
movement.
| The President and Oklahoma.
1t Is matter OF official and newspaper
etiquette, not to say rule, that the
president IS not to be interviewed un-
less he invites the Interview. Indeed,
good many unfortunate persons, both
political and journalistic. have had
cause to bitterly repent the promulga-
tion of an Interview which was offered,
but repudiated when 1t was found not
to touch the right point in the public
mind. Yet presidential opinions do
leak out from the White House. Some
of these were given me the other
day by gentleman who spent much
time in Oklahoma during the recent
campaign and who saw the president
almost Immediately after its close. II
Is proper to say that he was not In ac-
cGd with the endeavor of the admin
Iistration to deny statehood to the peo-
pie Of the territory. Tie interview was
had on the day that the news had beeu
lgiven out that tho president would Is
sue the proclamation Of statehood an1
not, as had been expected, veto the ac-
ton of the people who adopted the con-
stitution by 10000 majority. In view
Of the fact that Secretary Taft was
sent to Oklahoma to fight the constltu-
ton and that every territorial official
holding his office by grace of the power
in the White House had fought 1t, one
may be permitted to wonder whether II
was not the size of the majority more
than any other consideration that led
Mr. Roosevelt TO abandon, his supposed
programme. uk6 ~.
However, my informant told ME that
the president had said that he was not
In fact strongly opposed to the initia-
tive and referendum feature in the
constitution. He thought that for
counties and cities the system of direct
legislation has been shown to be prac.
ticable. He doubted whether 1t would
work out successfully in u state aud
Twas absolutely certain that 1t would
fail II tried as national device. Yet
the people of Oklahoma bad right ia
test 1t In their commonwealth if they
so desired. Nor did he bitterly attack
the so called gerrymander which has
been the staple argument Of Republic
an opponents of the constitution. In
fact he remarked with philosophical
humor that he had had some expert
ence In New York politics and had
seen Republican gerrymanders there
and was reliably informed that they
existed in other states. Of whatever po
litical complexion. This and the sys
tenn of taxation adopted be thought
matters for the people of the state to
pass upon. .
Curiously enough, not one Of the ar
guments advanced by Mr.. Taft in his
speech has been upheld by President
Roosevelt in the numerous interviews
he has had with public men since the
Oklahoma vote. AS the story of thest
interviews passes from one to another
Washington Is buzzing with specula
.tion as to whether the faithful Taf-
was not ono of those trial balloons SEN
out to test the current of popular senti
Iment. If Taft won, the administration
would be In a position to back him ant
TO claim the glory, for all its officers
iwere repeating his argument to tht
Ipeople of Oklahoma. But Taft lost
Today the distinctly Roosevelt papers
are printing editorials applauding thu
lnresident for repudiuting what they