The Washington times., 1910-11-10
INSURGENTS EXPECTED
TO FIGHT ON FOR ISSUES
PrognoSticatorS Believe Republican Party Can Come
Back" Only If President Taft Takes
Vigorous Lead.

What Is the Republican party going
to do about il?
This is the question chat leading poll
| ticians Of the party are already discuss
| Ing as = sequence 10 the sweeping vic
tory OF the Democrats Tuesday
| These politicians are asking IL II is
| going to be possible for the Republicans
| 10 reform their shattered and battered
lines and get their forces in shape 20
! 10 into the battle OF 1912 with reason
, able prospects OF winning.
IL Is admitted that this is nc light
! task, in view OF the wide divisions and
! differences that now exist between Re
| publicanS, with the inSurgent faction
| pulling one way and the regular faction
| pulling another way. IL is true that not
q few Of the Old GUard have been talk
/ ing that the only way to reunite The
party and bring il 10 its senses was to
let II suffer defeat; That the first essen
tia3 Tor the upbUildlng Of the Republican
organization Anew was to OVerturn the
party But now that il has been done,
the question OF how to 90 about il is
! far from being solved
Three Courses Open.
Three cOures are open for the Repub-
lican party. It can become progressive.
after the wishes Of the insurgents; u
/ can become conservative. OF. as the in
surgents say, -'reactionary," and follow
| the wishes Of Speaker Cannon and the
men who have been ruling in the House
ana Senate, or Il can strive to take 4
middle course and bv steering about
half way between the insurgents and
the regulars, can cndeaVOr to hold both
wings together. Il can assume to be
progressive and take care not TO be 50
progressive rs 10 drive the regulars over
to the Democrats.
1t is quite clear that if the Republican
party remains in the control of the con-
SerVa1Ves and the men looked on by
the pTOgTeSSiVCs IS TcaCtiOnary, and II
the conservatives get grip on the
Democratic Earty, then the formation
of third party VIII be Inevitable. The
proSreSSiVes Of both parties viii flock
together and form a new party
Larry conferences viii be held among
Republican leaders Tor the purpose of
determining what course the Republican
party will take President Taft has gone
To Panama and will not be back until
well along toward the opening OF Con-
sreSs. As he is the titular leader Of
! MS party. plan Of action cannot well
] be laid down without him being pres
ent 10 sanction H..
II IS probable that not much will be
done in the way Of comforting until Con
greSS meets Then the big men OF the
party can get together, talk things over
and FIND out where they are at. BY
the tine Congress meets. they will have
had chance 70 get their bearings
As the situation stands now, the out
look for an agreement on a set of poll
cies on the part Of the Republicans Is
not encouraging The old leaders in
the House and Senate are showing few
signs Of being willing to make COnceS-
siOns and TO pledge themselves TO 90
ahead along the lines wanted by the
prOgressives- on the other hand. the in
sUrgeHts are not in temper 70 make
concessions OF Importance 10 the regU-
lars. It may be that President Taft
can get the leaders on both sides TO
agree TO some sort of a legislative pro-
gram, but this looks extremely doubt
ful in the light Of past experience.
President Taft last session lined up
With the regulars or conservatives IN
Congress. This displeaSed the tusur-
gents, especially as he took pains to-
show his displeasure at the INSURGENTS.
The President did not succeed in beat
ing the insurgents INTO line. Instead, he
only succeeded in weakening his own
hold on States where the prOgreSSives
are strong. II the President should
now choose to throw in his fortunes
with the progressive movement and go
along with il, there is little doubt shat
lie could get most OF the men in Con-
greSs who have been against the pTo-
gressives to align then selves with them
One Way Out.
H. other words, there would not be
many regulars in Congress who would
stand out against the President if he
should see Mt 10 go in with the pro-
greSSives. This course, in the opinion
of not a few men about the President,
would be the most effective way 70
prevent the Republican party from GO
ing into the next campaign split In
fact, some of the Presidents advisers
think it is the only thing that can be
done TO enable the Republicans to win
the Presidency next time.
The Presidents message will indicate
pretty clearly what position he is going
TO take. II IS promised the message
will be progressive. If IL is such as 10
appeal TO both the regulars and the
progressives in Congress and through
the country, something VIII have been
accomplished toward drawing the two
Republican wings together But tl1is
is not going to settle the matter by any
means entirely
The Presidents recommendations in
his message are necessarily quite gen.
eTal. 1t frequently happens that con-
Servatives and prOgressives in Con-
gTesS can indOrSe the same general
principle. but can get as far apart as
the poles when it comes to actual