The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-12-13

| ing any such declaration in the i'm
mediate future, and perhaps at no
time. His casual remarks to chance
callers, such as 81 cannot serve
again, someone else must carry on
| the work" etc, have no actual sig
nificance. These are such remarks
as he must make, under existing cir
cumstances, to those who incautious-
ly bring up a delicate topic of con-
versation. The President does not
| intend making an effort to kill the
third-term talk with a new declar-
ation-at least not during the next
month or two-for two very good
| reasons.
First-as long as his own nomi-
nation is possible or imminent, if
Taft cannot be named, enemies of
the President will find it prudent to
work for Taft, certainly to stop plac-
ing stones in his path, in order to
avert that which would be still
more obnoxious to them-the choice
of the President himself.
Second-Mr. Roosevelt has some
old-fashioned ideas about the
duty of a public and party man.
At Philadelphia in 1900 he did
everything in his power to stop
the ice-presidential nomination ex-
cept to issue a public declaration
he would not accept If named. His
friends urged him to go this length
and he replied: 81 will do anything
but that. / believe that if party
to the front, whether he wants to
or not. The party will is supreme.
No man has the right to set himself
up as bigger than his party"
The Republican party may or
may not draft Mr.. Roosevelt next
year. But if * does the circum-
stances will have. to be very unusual,
very extraordinary very unexpected,
to lead him to reversal of This prin-
ciples and to refusal to obey the
party command.
1t is possible that after some
weeks the President may make an
other effort to stop the movement
to make him the nominee. IF he
does so, doubt if he will go so far
as to declare that under no circum-
stances would he accept If nominat-
ed, and nothing less wonld be eff
fective. At present his mind is not
inclined in that direction.
Two contingencies are possible.
either of which might lead to an
other declaration.
First-If his sincerity were to be
generally questioned, not by his en-
emies but by the people whose opin-
ion he values, and he were to be ac-
cused of playing double part.
hide-and-seek game. Mr.. Roose-
welt values his reputation for manli-
ness and sincerity higher than any
political honor.
Second-If this sincerity were to
be doubted by the friends OF Sec
rotary Taft, and particularly by the
Secretary of War himself Mr.. Taft
is not crazy to be President. He has
not much hope OF being nominated;
he is not grasping. At the same time
he likes fair play and if an emer-
gency should arise in which he was
convinced he could win IL the Presi-
dent were TO teke himself definitely
and finally out of the field and were
to suggest such action, It is difficult
to see how Mr.. Roosevelt could re-
fuse to respond
What is more probably is frank
and complete understanding be-
tween the President and his Secre- |
tary of War. IL is we'll known that
Mr.. Taft consented to stand as a |
upon the urging of the |
President Thus Mr.. Roosevelt has
an obligation to Taft which must be
scrupulously kept as matter of
honor. How far the President must
go, If indeed he must do anything
- -s.rsr-