The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-29
1T CUTS BOTH WAYS.
Root says Republican Defeat VIII
Damage Each Faction.

New York, Oct. EFF Mr.. Taft con-
tinues to make as good a president as
he is making now he will be the natural
and inevitable candidate of his party in
1872 unless one thing happens-that the
people of the United States shall re-
pudiate the administration of Mr.. Taft
by such crushing and overwhelming
defeat Of his party that it will be ap-
parent that Mr.. Taft cannot be reflect
ed"
This was the statement made by Uni
ted States Senator Elihu Root in
speech at Manhattan casino It had
been limited that he would say some
thing about questions of the Republic
can party's national policy involved in
the New York state campaign.
Mr.. Root addressed himself particu-
larry to those Republicans who might
stand willing to vote against the Re
publican gubernatorial candidate for
the sake of rebuking Theodore RooSe-
welt, and declared that Republican de-
feat in the state this fan would be even
more of a blow to the national admin
1Stration than to Colonel Roosevelt. In
fact he said, a Democratic victory in
New York would more likely turn the
next national convention away from a
national administration which could not
hold it's party together and toward Mr.
Roosevelt or Ito one of the far more
radical leaders now looming up on the
political horizon in the north and mid
die west"
Contrary to some expectation. Sena-
tor Root brought no direct pledge from
Colonel Roosevelt regarding his attitude
toward the nomination in 1912.
Roosevelt the Issue.
"A good many Republicans at this
time said Senator Root, seem dis
posed to ignore all the grave and sub
stanttal issues which are before the
people of this state and to vote at the
coming election upon no issue whatever
hHaf gs1F mi a oil Of
against Mr.. Roosevelt, whose course re-
garding national affairs they disapproVe
for one reason or another and whom
they desire to punish by defeating the
party to which they belong, in which
they believe. and which they have long
Loyalty supported, because he holds a
distinguished and potent place in the
councils and activities of the party.
1T should be observed that the de-
claration of this intention cuts both
ways. Whatever a man declares he
will vote against the Republican ticket
because he does not like Roosevelt
there will be others who will vote for
the ticket because they do like Roose-
welt and because they feel that with
his tremendous force and courage and
ability he has done a noble and much
needed work for honesty, purity, equal
ity and freedom in the political life OF
our country. My guess would be thai
If the issue in this state were whether
Mr.. Roosevelt had reflected credit and
honor to the Republican party, on oul
state and on our country or the con-
trary, there would be a very large ma
1ority in the affirmative.
What gave Mr.. Roosevelt the leader.
ship of the Saratoga convention? He
had no office; he had no patronage; ht
had no money; he could neither punish
nor reward anyone; and the controlling
political organization of the Republican
marty was against him. How did it hap
pen that a majority of the delegates
voted with him and against the organi
cation? The answer is that there wal
an issue before the convention in which
the people of the state were deeply in
terested. Mr.. Roosevelt espoused TIL
right side of that issue against the Re
publican organization, and natural!
enough. he furnished the element o
leadership to the side he was with.
majority OF the delegates voted witt