The Washington herald., 1908-07-13
An Issue in Mr.. Taft,s Candidacy.

The country has nothing to fear from
the election of Mr.. Taft to the Presi-
dency. He is a man Of demonstrated
capacity. OF surprising executive ability.
and patriot and lover of his country
beyond reproach. The "residua-y Iega-
teeship' question. which already Is fig
uring in the campaign, and apropos OF
which Senator Bourne sounds timely
word Of warning. is robbed Of much Of
Its force, therefore, by the high character
and splendid record Of the candidate.
Discussion Of the methods employed
to nominate Mr.. Taft VIII and should
have no relation to his qualifications and
availability. II Is the first time this
question has ever come up in our nation
al politics. Whatever the result Of the
election in November may be. the prece-
dent has been established, and loses none
Of its force as an example because Il
was established by President Roosevelt
The Democratic platform adopted at
Denver contains this significant plank:
we CONDEMN as a violation Of the spirit Of our
Institutions, the action of the present Chief E1eci-
urc in using the patronage Of his high oaice 10 Sc
oIre the nomination Of one of his Cabinet officers
4 forced succession iu the Presidency is scarcely
less repugnant 20 public sentiment than is life ten
ure IN that Office. No good intention on tho part
Of the Executive. and virtue in the one selected
can justify the establishment Of q dynasty The
night cf the people freely % select their officials Is
inalienablc and cannot be rclcgatcd."
That is a sentiment to which every
American imbued with patriotic belief in
the wisdom and justice upon which our
institutions are founded can subscribe
The administration onense against
precedent becomes no less because Of the
Rooseveltian assumption that the line OF
policy adopted by the Republicans in
Office is his policy and that II needs his
man TO carry on the programme. Behind
the Presidential action in this matter
was certain robust egotism, not wholly
unattractive on the surface. but which
suffers by analysis. and will not operate
TO blind the people to the danger OF the
precedent.
II speaks we'll for Mr Taft's sense Of
the proprieties to recall that. six months
ago. he desired 10 leave the Cabinet and
stand as candidate strictly on his own
account. but the fact is not equally TO
his credit that he was dissuaded from a
course so obviously right and suffered
himself to be placed in the role Of bene-
ficiary and product Of the administra-
tion's machine. He could do no wiser
thing now. as Senator Bourne suggests
than to put himself on record for the
future; and he ought to do II soon, for
he may be quite sure that the Democratic
orators and organs are not going to be
silent on the subject. A statement from
him undoubtedly would win him the SUD-
port OF those citizens who. while believ-
ing in Republican doctrine refuse to IN
dorse the Roosevelt theory Of successor
ship or ''residuary legateeship.''
We can think Of no single act that
would so reassure the American people
as TO Mr. Tafts candidacy than his own
statement that he is his own man-tbe
creature OF nobody-and that. if elected
when his term Of service is ending he will
not use the means employed to nominate
him 10 name his successor in the White
House