Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-30
POWERS IN THE CAMPAIGN.
They Are Hearst, La Toilette and
Roosevelt.
Upon Their Attitude Mny Depend II
Large Part the Outcome Of the
Elections - HeNrst'a Intention
Ia 20 Wreck Democracy.


Tho Washington correspondent OF the
Boston Transcript writcs as follows:
Three big and ovcrshndowing PERSONAL
ties appear among tho head-lincrs in
every discussion OF the probable course
OF the presidential campaign. They are
the personalities OF Theodore Roosevelt,
Robert NJ. la Toilette and William r.
Hearst. II any two OF them should hold
aloof from participation In the cam
paign. the other might easily determine
the result Of the election. TIA. are
oil leaders Of radical opinion: all very
nrh alike. and all Is different as
zenith and nnd!r. An analytical essay
on their characters and opinions and
purposes would amount to thorouh
consideration OF the whole present day
trend OF public opinion In this country.
Az they nrc looked upon today, Mr..
Hearst Ia Out to defeat. perhaps to wreck.
the Democratic party. Mr. Roosevelt IL
thoroughly good party man. devoted
to republicnnisn,. hut there IL uncertain
~ as TO how far he will deem It proper
for himself beinA President. to inter
ferr In n presidential campaign. Mr.. Ia
Toilette Is n republican. AS Mr.. Hearst
has been democrat In the past. Con-
corning him. the question Is whether
he VIII stand to his partisan guns and
make y Eight for ticket and platform,
despite tic fact tina: neither suits him;
or whether. Hike Hearst on thc other side.
he will find means to throw the real
weight Of his influence against his owl,
party.
II President Roosevelt and Senator La
Toilette shall cast all their weight In the
scales In favor OF Taft. and II Hearst
shall persist md succeed In his purpose
to split democracy then the election ot
Taft Is considered assured II Mr.. Hearst
should be induced to drop his night
| against democracy. and ~ Senator In
Toilette should quietly drop out of'po,i-
tics" and devote his autumn to lectures
from the ChautauQua platform II: which
he would explain and defend his course
In Congress- and II. under these cirrum-
stances. Theodore Roosevelt should hold
his peace; then the election OF Bryan
might he fairly within the range OF
probability.
The probable courses OF these three
men therefore are Of the utmost concern
lust row. Secretary Loeb has within n
arce that under no circumstances will
the President take part. from the stump.
IN the activities Of the campaign. Liter
ally Secretary Loeb Is always correct.
But In case OF stress everybody believes
that the President would presently ind
means to project his potent personality
into the campaign and to make II n
tremendous influence In favor of Taft,
II might he by process Of writing 4
letter: II might he incident 10 receivin z
n delegation at oyster Bay; It might he
merely In the guise Of n patriotic. non
pn rtisah speech" on labor Day: there
are various ways in which 40 resource
ful a citizen as the President might be
able 10 present m appeal 70 the de-
voted following which waits on his words.
There wifi he the more temptation to
him thus to take part, because OF the
fact that II he fails to do that fall
ure will hc construed by MANY as evil
dence that ne IL not quite secure IN
conviction that the Taft programme will
be exactly the Rooaevelt programme
Senator La Follettc's position Ia In
some ways moro difficult than TINT of
either of the other two named. He IL
first and foremost n publicist. Io Inns
not achieved tho utmost ambition open
to an American, ns has Mr. Roosevelt
neither does no possess n great fortune,
as does Mr.. Hearst. He hnn before him
n future to which both ambition and
necessity constantly point There Is
small doubt that Wisconsin would 20
democratic II Ia Toilette frankly wished
It to do So With II would perhaps go
n Conaiderab lc additional mart oP the