The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-04-03

On the night OF election ia Novem-
Der, 1894, when returns which were
pouring into the White House from all
sections of the country showed that
Theodore Roosevelt had been chosen
by an overwhelming majority to sue
coed himself as president Of the
United States, Mr. Roosevelt issued
formal statement to the effect that he
would not be a candidate for another
term. From that moment the question
in the minds of the leaders of the Re-
publican party throughout the country
has been one concerning the selection
of his successor. For time there
were many who, while not doubling the
sincerity of the president in declaring
his intention not to be his party's
standard bearer again, nevertheless in
sisted that in order to carry out the
policies which he had so successfully
inaugurated he should yield to the un-
mistakable sentiment of the voters Of
the country and consent to renom-
ination.
Naturally Turned to Taft.
1t became apparent later that the
president said what he meant and that
he intended to stand by it, for in ev-
cry subsequent utterance on the sub
.ject he has only the more strongly en-
phasized his statement and his posi-
ton in the matter. Naturally, when
Mr.. Roosevelts position came to be
thoroughly understood and appreciated,
the leaders of the party, directed and
guided by the prevailing sentiment OF
the great mass of voters Of the coun-
try, began to cast about for the selec-
ton of his successor. Granting the
abundance of presidential material
within the party, the first consideration
was for a man who could fill Mr.
Roosevelt's political shoes and wear
them with the same ease as Mr. Roose-
welt himself; in other words for a man
in thorough sympathy with the pres
fdent's policies and his equal to carry
then successfully into execution. I'm
questionably that man was William
Howard Taft secretary of war; He had
helped to formulate the presidents pol
1cies, and his administration of affairs
in the Philippines, in Panama, in Cuba
and In the war department generally,
as we'll as his advice and counsel in
other matters, were, and still are, a
part of those policies. The country
knew Taft as it knew no other admin
1stratlon leader, except the president;
1T knew him for what he had done:
it knew what he stood for.
Victory Is Foregone Conclusion.
1t was on this account that early in
the consideration of an available can
dldate upon whom the Republican par
ty could confer the nomination for
president, that attention was directed
to the present secretary of war; Since
the nrst mention of his name in this
connection-and it would be difficult to
discover the original Taft man-the
demand for his nomination has steadily
Increased until now, with the great
national Republican conclave three
months in the future, his selection by
that assemblage, as the standard bear
er of his party, seems to be a fore
gone conclusion.
While it cannot be denied that i'm
mense impetus to the movement in ia
vor of the nomination of Mr.. Taft was
given by the unqualified expression by
the president in favor Of the selection
of his secretary of war as his success
or in the White House, yet with all
due credit to the president it cannot
be said that it was he who started the
So called Taft boom.
Boom Is Spontaneous.
The boom was spontaneous from all
sections of the country, and what the
president did was simply to join in the
procession of hose who, with accurate
judgment, had decided that the best
man to fill Theodore Roosevelt's place
as the executive head of the nation was
Mr.. Taft. That the great influence of
the presidents Judgment has done in
calculable benefit to the candidacy of
Mr.. Taft cannot be denied, vet in the
last analysis it is the people in this
country who choose their presidents
and not the president who selects his
successor. In indicating a preference
for Secretary Taft the president acted
as Theodore Roosevelt, citizen of the
republic, rather than Theodore Roose-
welt, president Of the United States.
He spoke as hundreds of thousands of
other citizens and voters have spoken
Vo1cing their feelings and exercising
their right to indicate a choice on this
l-lmportant question, involving as it
does SO much that is vital to the well
rare OF the country and of the party
during the n~xt four years. ri. ,.@@.%II,
+ H.. His Essential Fitness, + @..<.
j. But the president had one advantages
over his fellow countrymen in tndi-
eating his preference; he knew better
than any one else the qualifications
and the essential fitness of the man to
whom he has thrown the great weight
Of + his prestige: he knew who could
best bear them; he knew, too, the man
who would best appeal by reason Of the
principles for which he stands and the
great service which he has given to
4 his country, To the people Of the .l ma &
/ ton for support. Rel. HI aSS s5#
v y e the people Ct the country have
accepted the presidents high estimat ]
of Mr. ia q, They have not done Il So "a
without full consi ation Of the rner-
Its Of the secretary IF war. They have
examined his ecord and given APP