Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-06
More Anent LOngworth's Dynasty
Speech.

sion speech in Rock Island last week
has been taken up by the eastern press.
There is no paper published whose edi-
|torials President Roosevelt reads more
than those of the New York
Sun. Consequently, when he read what
follows from the columns of the New
York Sunday Sun, he Immediately call
ed Nick in from his stumping tour ac-
Mr.. Sherman Longworth
proceeded at once to his hCme in Ohio,
land then issued the denial which went
out to the Associated Press from Gin
cinnati yesterday. The Sun gave the
advice i'll its closing paragraph which
the president speedily needed. Here
are the Suns editorial comments:
Now comes Nicholas Longworth
sOn-in-law of the great autocrat, and
in a speech delivered at Rock Island,
H.. announces to his countrymen that
latter Mr.. Taft shall have eight years
| to 'clinch my policies'-'clinch' is Mr..
Taft's term-Mr Roosevelt will return,
like Napoleon from Elba or like Charles
| the Second after Cromwell, and the
full restoration of the Roosevelt re-
gime will take place
"A more unfortunate statement has
not yet been made in this canvass, and
liz it attracts the general attention
which it deserves it is not unlikely to
make Mr.. Longworth the Burchard of
the campaign. 1t is well known that
Mr.. Roosevelt, in graciously permit
| ting the American people to select his
successor - providing always that it
was Mr.. Taft or himself-had said to
| intimate friends that while he could
no longer serve his faithful people for
the next four years and would change
his work of multiplying bears into the
destruction of lions. yet at the end of
four years his faithful people could
reasonably expect his triumphant re-
entry into the scene of his former
achievements. 1t is apparent from Mr..
| Longworth's statement that this eXpec-
tation is enjoyed not only by the inner
circle of Mr. Roosevelt's friends, but
also by his Immediate family, and it is
unreasonable to suppose that Mr..
| Longworth would have nominated his
august father-in-law for reelection
eight years hence if he believed that
such suggestion was other than agree
able TO Mr.. Roosevelt.
THE American people are not dis
posed to turn their most exalted Office
| into a merry-go-round in which presi-
dents shall mutually help each other
to rotate in Office Notwithstanding
Mr. Taft's exceptionally useful record
| as a public servant and his captivating
qualities as a man, the American peo-
iple have looked askance at the manner
\ in which his nomination was secured.
| To them it was an unwelcome specta-
Gle that president by the most open,
| fragrant and shameless use of federal
| patronage and executive power should
| force the nomination of his successor,
and they certainly will not welcome j
suggestion which would seem to imply
that Mr.. Taft at the end of four or
eight years shall use his influence as
president to have his predecessor sue
coed him. For this and other reasons
/
Roosevelt republicans are TO be held
in line for Mr.. Taft in order to avoid
the destructive evils of Organism, Mr..
Taft should speedily convince this ele-
ment of the republican party that he
will be something more than an ad
interim president. Some friend should
Whisper in his ear that no presidential
lon OF "a hae hn hrnc hnI
lof the White house as ME too pres
Iident. The assurance is most neces-
Isary, for it is idle to gainsay that Mr..
lTaft's canvass has so far been dis
appointment. From his past record as
la judge and his splendid fidelity as Il
public administrator the people have
lbeen led to believe that he had a rug
Iged personality that would quickly
Ishow when occasion arose that he was
his own man and not the mere shadow
Iof another. In his speeches we have
with few exceptions failed to detect a
mote Of reasonable self-assertivenes
land avowed leadership. He has been
lat his best when he has assailed Mr..
Organs vagaries. He has been at his
worst when he has informed his coun-
ltrymen that his purpose is to 'clinch
Mr.. Roosevelt's policies His abject
Surrender of the details of the cam
lpaisn to Mr. Roosevelt, his ready ac-
lceptance of Mr. Roosevelts every ut
terance and his voluntary submergence
of his own personality in a campaign
in which he should be the most potent
Header, constitute one of the strangest
land most unpleasant chapters in our
political history. The best service that
Mr.. Taft can do himself, his party and
ibis country is to assert speedily and in
no unmeaning phrase that the republic
can party has chosen him as it's leader
and that he will not merely follow.
In the meantime and for the good
7 of the cause we respectfully suggest tc
the great politician that he speedily
i withdraw his over-zealous sonin-law
, from the stump"
:. Unfortunately. in the meantime, Son
: in-Law Nick has been adding to his
mischief by expressing his delight ovel