Graham guardian., 1908-05-01
THE REPUBLICAN DILEMMA


BRYAN will be the Democratic
staud dard bearer in the pending
presidential campaign, inter es'
naturally turns to the identity o.
the Republican nominee There II
familiar sneer to the purport
that Democrats have no trouble IN
electing their candidates a year
before the presidential polls are
open, and that their confidence
diminishes about in proportion as
that event draws near. There are
indications that this condition will
be reversed this year, and the faith
of the minority party has sub
stan,ial undation.
Roosevelt has split his party
with a cleavage so wide that DO
candidate of his choosing or that
of any convention can unite the
two factions. There is no common
ground on which the conservative
and the radical Republicans can
meet. The radicals will insist on
the denomination Of Roosevelt, and
not until some other candidate has
actually won the coveted honor
will the suspicion be removed that
this modern Caesar will raise no
hand to remove the crown which
frenzied followers may thrust npon
his head.
The danger which most serious
ly meraces Republican success is
found in the fact that the radical
faction has not thrust forward any
candidate save Roosevelt. If that
strenuous executive keeps bis
word and positively refuses to ac'
cept the dictum of stampeded
convention, what, then will the
corporation hating Republican
do? Many of them will decline to
bow down to Taft, even though
their political god bids them fol,
low the plume Of the fat man from
Ohio. The day is past when the
Republican ranks can be held IN
tact for a man who rose to politi-
cal power up the cushioned and
velvet-covered steps marked 'cor-
poration lawyer" and "injunction.
issuing Judge"
There are those who insist that
Grover Cleveland has wepf no bit.
ter and scaldipg tears over the
successive defeats of Democrats
who aspired To his succession, and, /,
by the same token, 1t may be pos
sible that Roosevelt would not re-
tire to hermitage and pine away
over the downfall of a Taft. In
any event, it will be amusing 70
watch the corporation.fatten, d
Taft posing as a substitute Roose-
welt, and TO hear him hurl defiance
at the Morgans Harrimans aud
the other representatives Of the
''vested interests" Confidentially,
Bryan will beat Taft if the latter
be nominated. Two million men
who voted tor Roosevelt will either
vote against Taft or stay away
from the polls.
Fairbanks, Foraker and the 9th.
Drs mentioned are known to be
adv COATES to the core.
Speaker Cannon is the incarnation
of moneyed Republicanism. In
word, it is Roosevelt or reaction
ary conservative-save for the re
mote chance that Governor Hughes
may win as a dark horse.
1t is justly charged that Roose
gelt stole Bryan's Democratic|
thunder. At this writing it seems
not unlikely that Bryan will re.
olevin it, and that he will secure
Tor interest considerable portion
,f that Republican strength which
has been educated ny Roosevelt to
znow that the limit of capitalis,ic
aggression aud domination has
been reached. 1t will not again
DO possible TO array the small IN.
,estors and the middle class con-
'ervatives against Bryan.
Roosevelt has been more radical
n his acts than Bryan has been IN |
lis speeches, Bryan will be nom.
mated by acclamation. Roosevelt
'ould put Taft, Fai banks, Foraker,
jsnnon, Hughes and all the others
'ut Of the running by q nod of his
'ead. He may throw the nomi-
lation to a reac,ionary, but his
ollowers will vote as they please.
For the first timo 10 years the