The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-18
LIKE BARKUs. WILLIN.,
Roosevelt Evidently Seeking 10 Re
DRAFTED" for 1912.
From the Boston Transcript.


Out Of the present sadly disordered
conditions in national politics. the possi-
bility of the nomination OF Theodore
Roosevelt in 1912 is bulRing larger with
each days developments Unrest seems
everywhere, and he Is. If not its prophet.
certainly its beneficiary. No one can read
his Western speeches without becoming
convinced of his willingness to be draft
ed again for the Presidential nomination
Of his party Hardly a word has been
said by him in public or in private N
praise OF Taft although In several in
stances activities OF the Taft administra-
tlon came In for his commentator This
was Inevitable. And yet Taft was his
selection for the Presidency.
The country is IN that extraordinary
frame OF mind when nothing that Presi-
dent Taft does seems TO win favorable
attention. II a tabulation OF actual re-
suits were made, setting those Of his
administration beside those Of his pre-
decessor, II is a fair prediction that
more would be found TO have been
actually accomplished by him than in
any corresponding period Of Mr. Roose-
velt's years of Office, The successful
prosecution of the great trusts; the new
indictments secured OF other alleged COM
binations; the passage Of railroad regula-
ton and similar corporate legislation,
the establishment of a tariff commits
sion to afford more equitable mechanism
for future tariff making. are results
which are representative Of the Taft adj
ministTation Only this morning the
news comes OF negotiations well under
way for a reciprocity treaty with Can
ada. As President Mr.. Taft Is doing
things" in a quiet but effective way;
and yet such is the power Of advertising
that the country, absorbed IN the illusion
Of Roosevelt's omnipotence. seems TO for
get that he is on duty
Mr.. Taft is a sensitive man. He has
RENTED no effort 10 make himself a
good President Of the United States Con-
scious Of the rectitude OF his own puT-
poses. and the earnestness Of his en-
deavors. he has been hurt by the sights
which he has received In Republican
circles, Ike that OF the State convention
Of Indiana, and notably in Col. Roose-
his efforts 10 disguise his feelings and 10
maintain a concilist0ry attitude he has
not been happy. His letter. made public
to-day. IN which he welcomes the in
surgents into fun party fellowship. fol-
lowed by his designation Of one of Pin
chors closest friends at the head 81 the
new Bureau Of Mining, are samples Of
his conciliat0Ty spirit
In these circumstances Mr.. Taft Is
liable TO announce his withdrawal from
the 1912 race. should the elections I'm
November greatly accentuate the unrest
within his own party This would APP
parcntiy mean Roosevelts nomination.
From present appearances il would mean
his election by the great Insurgent tide
within and without the Republican party.
which now seems sweeping everything
before IT, One need not be unduly hys-
terical TO see in RooseyeIts success GER
tain dangers 20 the structure Of the re-
public. The members OF Congress would
feel that the people were with him ana
that their only avenue Of popularity lay
m DONG his bidding The independence
Of the legislative branch would thus
largely vanish. If. indeed. independent
minded Republicans consented 90 accept
nominations on the third-tegm ticket
His attitude toward the Judiciary Is not
healthfuL The new nationaHsm Of which
he is an exponent would mean an en0r-
nous expenditure. the building up Of
huge and unwieldly federal machinery.
and long lurch toward the type Of gov
eminent with which New Zealand has
been experimenting. At least these are
the directions in which a third term of
Roosevelt would move. lie has performed
great services for the country. His
record on the whole entities him 10 the
warm commentator Of history; but the
obligation OF the American people To him
can be enhanced by his further refusal
to violate one OF the great traditions Of
the republic.