Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-11-01
SECT. ROOT ON THE 1912 NOMINA
TION.

IF Mr.. Taft continues to make lis
good President as he is making now
he will be the natural and inevitable
candidate of his party in 1912, unless
one thing happens-that the people of
the United States shall repudiate the
administration of Mr.. Taft by such a
crushing and overwhelming defeat of
his party that it will be apparent that
Mr.. Taft cannot be reelected"
This was the statement made by
United States Senator Elihu Root IN
his speech in New York last Friday
night. Root had been called on to
answer the charges that Roosevelt was
plotting to secure a denomination and
that his New Nationalism" was sub
versive of the Constitution There had
evidently been another Macedonian
call from Teddy and the national ad-
ministration had once more ccme to
his help.
Senator Root did not mince matters.
He openly declared that much of the
opposition to the Republican ticket in
New York grew out of the desire to
punish Roosevelt. "A good many Re-
publicans at this time" said Senator
Root, seem disposed to ignore all TIE
grave and substantial issues which are
before the people of this state qndN to
vOta or tho Domino aIao+iO1 ,,D ,r,
issue whatever, but simply as an ex-
preston of feeling against Mr.. Roose-
welt, whose course regarding national
affairs they disapprove for one reason
or another, and whom they desire t
punish by defeating TIE party to which
they belong, in which they believe and
witch they have long Loyalty support
ed because he holds a distinguished
and potent place in the councils and
activities Of the party"
While insisting that Taft is the log
ical candidate of his party in 1912 pro-
vided the party receives mo crushing
defeat Senator Root was equally pos
tive that If sIch defeat were met It
might mean Roosevelt for 1912.
After election people don't scrutln
ize the multitude of reasons which
may have contributed to tee result .
continued Senator Root. They see
only the general result, and If it should
happen that the Administration cannot
hold its own party together, the ma
tlonal convention would be quite likely
to look for a Moses to lead them out
of the wilderness, and it might go to
Mr.. Roosevelt or it might go to one Of
the far more radical leaders who are
now looming up on the political hor-
lion in the North and Middle West
Make no mistake, my friends, so far
as this election in the state of New
York bears any relation to national
affairs, Republican votes for the Re
publican ticket strengthen the Admin
istration in the party and Republican
votes against the ticket tend to weak
en- and break down the Administration
No one understands this better than
Mr. Roosevelt. No one knows better
than he that the strenuous efforts he
is making in behalf of Republican can
dldates, not merely in New York. but
in a dozen elf other states, are services
in aid OF tie Taft administration and
tend toward the denomination of Mr..
Taft in 1912"
The theory of those fighting Roosa-
welt in New York is that the election
of lbs candidate Stimson. as governor
will strengthen Roosevelt for the race
two years hence by putting the New
York state administration behind him
as candidate for another term i'm the
White House The theory of Senator
Root is that if the Republican party is
badly defeated it will be the means of
forcing the party to turn to Roosevelt
as Moses to lead it back into paths
Of national victory. In either event
then, Roosevelt really becomes a liv-
Ing. Issue in the Empire State, and
around his personality the fight will !
be waged until the election occurs.