Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-20
The Rochester Result.

Again the explanation that the repub-
hcan nomination was a mistake. We were
told the same thing i'm the case of the
fourteenth Massachusetts district Had
the republicans put forward the right
man they would have won. But the
nominee had had recent democratic af-
filiations, was personally unpopular, and
20 did not appeal to the voters. Mr.. Foss
profited largely by the plumbers of the op-
position in shaping their campaign. And
20 on.
We are now told that the personality OF
Mr.. Aldridge swamped his party in the
Rochester district. He was not the man
to make the race. A local boss, under
fire in connection with money influences
on legislation at Albany, he should have
kept, or been kept in the background
Instead, he was permitted to take the
lead, and the people at the polls yester-
day rebuked both him and his party for
his unpardonable audacity.
Well, of course. Let it be admitted
that Mr.. Aldridge was not the proper
leader. He should not in the circum-
stances have offered himself. or, upon
Offering himself. should have had his
duty pointed out to him by the party
organization.
But, in the Massachusetts district as in
this New York district, the republicans
were unequal to a plain situation. The
strongest possible nomination was neces-
sary in both contests Is not the fact
that the weakest possible nomination was
made in both the severest reflection on
the party? Does not the party by such
performances at such times concede the
o,,,kr -
Is it not in the gravest difficulties?
In SO far as the tariff Influenced the
Rochester resultant it did influence it
did not the democrats simply use the
ammunition the republicans themselves
had supplied? Mr. Havens, the demo-
cratic candidate-and. by the way, an ex-
cellent man-added nothing to the sum of
denunciation of the Payne law already in
circulation. He had republican chapter
and verse for all he said. And he had
the ballots or the benefit of absence from
the polls of several thousand republican
voters.
The lesson seems to be taught that in
New York and Massachusetts,, as we'll as
In the middle west, the republican voters
i themselves are refusing to recognize
blind devotion to the schedules Of the
Payne law as the supreme test of party
loyalty and are resenting the demand that
this law be clothed in republican opinion
AMI action with untouchable sanctity as
the final tariff word in fulfillment of the
party's revision pledges
II the low tariff revisionists of the mid
die west are expelled from the republican
party for contempt Of the Payne law, the
party is dead. II the high tariff re-
publicans of Pennsylvania and New Eng
land are expelled for slavish devotion to
the Payne law. the party is dead. Why
should the party commit suicide by MAX
Ing tariff schedules (Which are local is
sues nationwide tests of party loyalty?
Ii these Massachusetts, and New
York figures are symptomatic the coun-
try has much to consider >and both
parties much 10 do. Between now and
November we shall see and hear MANY
things, and between November of this
year and November. 1912 we shall see
and hear many more. and especially if
the next House is democratic.