The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-18
OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
A situation Without Parallel.
(The Brooklyn Eagle.l

President Grant wanted Roscoe Conkling nominated in 1876. James c. Blaine was then the desire of the heart of the party Hayes was nom mated by a union of those aganst both Conkling and Blaine The ad- ministration of Grant was thus de- feated In 1880 the Hayes administra- tion preferred the nomination. of sherman, but the politicians, bent upon the renomination of Grant, forced the sherman men to a sudden union on Garfield, who was elected When Arthur became President on the death of Garfield, he sought nomination in 1884, but was beaten by the men for Blaine. Blaine himself was beaten at the polls by Cleveland. Tn 1888 no towering figure sought the Repub- lican nomination, and Harrison was chosen after long struggle and was elected. His rencmination was ac- complished in 1892, but he was then beaten by Cleveland. who was re- elected. Grant could not nominate Cnklng. Hayes could not nominate sherman, and Arthur could not nomi- nate himself. Harrison did renom- mate himself, but was defeated, the second time he ran
 Mckinley, nominated in 1896 and in l900 was asse ssnated early in the second term, and MT. Roosevelt, heretofore Vice President. sue ceeded him In 1904, Mr Roosevelt being nominated, was overwhelmingly elected, and Is now bent on the ,non- ination of MT Taft. The persn- allty of the latter is so fine that he
 is highly esteemed The effort of the administration to prescribe him to his party, and to prescribe other candi- dates, is apparent. It far exceeds what Grant sought for Conkling what Hayes sought for sherman, and what Arthur and Harrison sought for themselves.
 Had Presidents Grant, Hayes, Ar thur and Harrison for themselves or for others put forth the measure of effort which President Roosevelt is putting forth for MT Taft. the best public sentiment would have demand ed their Impeachment They might not have been imreached. but the de- mand that they should be would have tarnished them in history, The ef- forts which President Roosevelt is putting forth to force the nomination | of Secretary Taft have aroused no such indignation as the same efforts by other executives would have done There is an Accessibility to extreme courses due to the long allowance of 1 them. Mir. Roosevelt can do with i'm punity what his predecessors could have done only 10 their own destruc- tio1 in public opinion and in history,
 The situation is unique. MT. Taft i personally admirable, officially excel lent. prctieally experienced in all the domestic and all the insular duties of this government is helped, or hand icapped, according as men may argue, by the support of MT, Roosevelt. and courses which ID other President ever followed, ever thought to follow or would have ever dared to follow
 There is no evidence of a revolution within the Republican party against these Roosevelt courses of extremism There is evidence of fear. indignation and apprehension against those courses. but there is doubt of any abil- Iity to withstand them and there Is a belief that NIT. Taft, for whom they are put forth, cannot approve them | but under the circumstances cannot l renounce them.
 l There is another conviction that
 could MT. Taft be nominated, without i MT Roosevelt's insistence his fine qualifications would come to the coun- i try with finer stamp upon them | 1 is also believed, and almost conceded l that Mir Taft, should he become Presi. dalt. will administer the government | through himself and not through Mir Roosevelt. The differentiation of Mir
 Taft from his presidential packer ii
 general. If rests partly on Knowledge
 partly on presumption and largely or
 patriotic hope, II is. of course. cen l iectural Whether MT Taft would b,
 only the masque and Mr Roosevelt
 would be really the man in a Taft ad ministration. cannot be determined. is a liability; it is at least d possibu ity. The country cannot tell. The Re
 publican party does not know and MT Taft himself. lIlder the circumstances
 can give no assurance to any contrary effect
 An admirable man, prescribed by ai 1 absolute Executive. and both of then
 hardly more than feebly opposed by
 covering party. is spectacle whcl
 Repubiicanism exhibits and by whici i if is puzzled. not to say paralyZed
 There never before was such d psvcho
 logical paradox in American politics Never before in a situation tha l louted precedent. challenged opposi-
 ton and paralyzed it while il chal. | lenged it. submitted to lthe observa-
 tion of the American people.