The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-31
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

Tt1E hLIEOt1ll1At1N 1LAA4E O4AAAs
When the men who assumed the
leadership OF the Republican party
council were running for nominations
in the recent primary, they spared no
words to deny emphaticRily the charge
that they were not in sympathy with
President Taft and the accomplish
ments of his administration. Because
it was believed that they did not have
this sympathy was the controlling rea-
son for the opposition candidates
who came out against them. But
before the Kansas primary campaign
was very far under way there was a
wonderful change of sentiment
throughout the country concerning the
Taft administration and its effective
ness in securing the adoption by con-
gress of most important pieces of leg
islation designed to carry out the
Roosevelt policies. This sentiment be-
came particularly strong among the
voters of Kansas. many of whom had
heretofore been lukewarm towards the
Taft administration. And so. when the
insurgent candidates in Kansas repu-
dated the contentious that they were
opposed to Mr.. Taft they became ac-
ceptable to many voters who would
have been against them on such a
score.
In the platform adopted in party
council at the behest of these success
full candidates, the endorsement OF
President Taft and his administration
is negligible in quantity and quality.
Thirty-two words were deemed suffi-
cient for the purpose. And they are
so framed as to merely endorse such
efforts" as President Taft has made
to fulfill the promises of the Repub-
lican national platform. Support Is
pledged him for any further efforts he
may make for the enactment of pro-
gressive laws. This is practically the
same sort of an endorsement. If that
word can properly be applied to IT,
as was given to President Taft and
his administration by the Republican
state convention of Iowa. and which
caused such chagrin among the Re
publicans of the country who are right
in their belief that Mr.. Taft is a great
president whose accom- plishments
have been memorable during the first
brief eighteen months of his term.
1t does seem that President Taft and
his work were worthy of a stronger
and heartier endorsement from the
hands of the Republicans of Kansas
whose star is now in the ascendancy,
and especially in view of their repeat
edly expressed attitude toward him
during the progress of the primary
campaign. In the preamble of the
platform the statement is made that
the Republicans of Kansas desiring
to express our pride in the traditions
of our party feel that respect and
veneration for those traditions and for
| the history we have made, may be
most adequately and fittingly express
ed by turning our faces forward rather
than back. Therefore we bind our
selves to specific future performance
rather than to ask for votes by reason
of our past achievements, however
great it is This is pretty good senti-
| ment, but the fact is that voters Judge
the worth of a party and its promises
by it's record of the immediate past.
The fine record of President Taft and
the last congress in doing things, in
| enacting more important progressive
| legislation during the past Is months
| than had been enacted before in years
is all the evidence that the voters OF
the country need of the intentions OF
| the party under the leadership of Mr.
Taft in the future. And the Republi-
cans of Kansas would have made theiI
platform stronger if they had recog-
nized this fact and given a stronger
endorsement to President Taft and
his excellent administration.
AS to the details of the platform, they
are progressive to a degree both or
national and state issues. And in the
important matter of tariff legislation
they are in line with the recent sug.
gestiens of President Taft in his letter
to the Republican congressional com.
mittee but that important fact is ig.
nored. The platform will probably BIZ
4 generally satisfactory to the Republf
cans of the state, but it would hav,
been much more so If the endorsement
OF President Taft had been worded il
vigorously language. And such an en-.
dorSement was deserved