Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-29
The Old Guard "FrazzIed."

Colonel Roosevelt won. at Saratoga,
Tuesday, by an even larger majority
than he had predicted. He had said
that he would beat the old guard to
FRAGILE, and we are inclined to think
that he did so, although we are not
fully informed as to the limitations of
"frazzle." But too much e, phasis
cannot be placed upon the real issue
at stake in the contest for the con-
was a struggle between the forces of
good government, clean politics and
freedom from corrupt Influences
clash between business and legislation
on one side, and political domination,
with all those words imply, on the
other side With Colonel Roosevelt
were allied, as leaders in the move
ment, Senator Elihu Root, and Presi
dent Taft. Governor Hughes having
been named for the United States Su
preme Court, was practically elimina
ted from the battle, but the public well
understands that his sympathies were
strongly with the Roosevelt Root Taft
alliance.
The leaders of the opposition were
Timothy L. Woodruff William Barnes,
Jr, and James w. Wadsworth.
Aoainct thic powarf,,l trio Csoyarpor
Hughes had been conducting a fight
almost alone. Only last March, they
threw all the influence they possessed
to the support of state Senator Hin
man. On the personal appeal of Gov
ernor Hughes, made on the campus at
Harvard, June 18th, former President
Roosevelt enlisted in the cause, and
his course so enraged the "Old Guard"
that they deliberately sought to hu-
initiate him. Their first efforts We're
to becloud the situation, giving the
voters to understand that at heart
President Taft was at sympathy with
the "Old Guard" But this was
promptly checkmated by the letter of
President Taft of August goth, which
set forth his position in unmistakable
terms.
The result at Saratoga, must be
| considered by the better element of
| the public, as a victory for right and
good government. 1t is personal
| triumph for Hughes, Roosevelt, Root,
Taft, and others who have believed in
| them and have followed them. 1t is
a move in the direction for clean poll
| tics, however much the old Guard"
and their friends may shout about the
| dictatorship of Roosevelt Without
| Roosevelt himself is the king of boss
es. it must be recognized that he is
replacing a lot of little bosses who
| at heart are bent on personal ad-
vancement 1t is a step in the right
| direction to wipe out such leaders as
made up the control of the "Old
| Guard" Their position has made pos
sible the conditions of graft, revela
| tions of which are being brought to
light, every day .--'
| If there is menace in Roosevelt
| ism. it is an Improvement for the gen.
eral public on Woodruftism and
Barnesism. and can be taken in hand
by the people in due time. If there is
| any characteristic of Roosevelt more
prominent than another it is that of
directness and outspoken frankness in
| dealing with public questions. If
there is anything in the new national
ism worth considering, it is. like
Roosevelt's personality, out in the
open. Mr.. Roosevelt accepts respon-
| sibility for his acts, and awaits the
verdict of the people.
The issue has therefore been clear
| cut from the moment Roosevelt en-
tered the fight with Hughes for clean
er politics in New York 1t was for
the delegates at Saratoga to decide
whether they would align themselves
| with discredited remnant of the old
machine or whether they would enlist
under the banner of President Taft
and three others of the cleanest and
strongest leaders in the politics of the
United States which the country has
ever known The verdict of the bal
lots on Tuesday is approved by the
people. and was what enlightened
readers and thinkers have desired
from the start