The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-07
PUTTING MIR. TAFT IN A HOLE.

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PUTTING MIR. TAFT IN A HOLE,
We hate to be all the time finding
fault with Philander C. Knox. He does
the best he can, and generally, he does
wonderfully well. seeing that he got
/ his start in Pittsburg: but we must
say that he has caused unnecessary
alarm among the friends OF the Adj
ministration by his recent speech at
Columbus, in which he said that "the
defeat of the Republican party in Ohio
would cause the Democrats to raise the
cry in 1912 that President Taft's own
! State had repudiated his Adnlinistra-
| ton" or course, they will; but that
J was no reason why Mr.. Knox should
| have put them on to It," AS we I'M
derstand, the fight in Ohio this year
is mainly upon the proposition whether
or not Harmon, who has administered
1.-THE affairs of that State better than
they have been administered for many
years shall he dropped to pick UP Hard
ing. who has never done anything
worth talking about at any time That
! is the question. Harding is very
| good sort of fellow. as good fellows go
in ;he Republican party; but q fellow
of no experience in the administration
of great public affairs, and he is out
\ classed at every point by the Demo
cratic candidate for Governor.
i why Mr.. Knox should seek to tie
Taft to Harding In Ohio, and why
4 Griscom should insist upon making
! Taft sponsor for "The Gift of Cod in
! New York. and why anybody should
/, put the Taft eggs in the Vivian Lewis
basket In New Jersey, are things
which many practical politicians can
. not quite appreciate. Mr. Taft is to
; be judged, or ought to be judged. by
what he does himself and not by what
{ half dozen machines do in half a
dozen States in the interest of their
own special representatives. One of
/ Mr.. Tart's chief difficulties Is that he
has been surrounded by a bunch of
alleged politicians who have been using
him to abu-c him.
What he has needed more than
anything else has been gen
eral censor with an enormous
blue pencil and no mercy in his soul
; for the literary work of the spell
| binders who have projected themselves
into the situation at so many points
to his disadvantage There was Elihr
Root. for example, who Is regarded
j as the smoothest thing that ever came
down the political pike, telling the PEG
. pie of New York State that Stimsor
: should be. elected Governor for the
: purpose of keeping Roosevelt quiet II
1912. Republican speakers all over thu
: country have been piling all sorts O.
things on Mr.. Taft's shoulders, thing:
, for which he is in no sense respon
sible-Stimson in New York, Lewis
in New Jersey, Beveridge in Indiana
Draper in Massachusetts. Lodge IL
Massachusetts,. and so on all arount
] the ring with the result that whel
the Democrats sweep the country a
> the election to-m morrow the Republican
, VIII say that it is Taft's fault. Thu
thing we can't understand is why TIN
members, of Mr.. Taft's official famil!
: have not had sense enough to see tina
they We're putting him in hole,
The result OF the election in Obi
appears to be giving the friends o
Mr.. Taft most concern, as they sa;
!, that the election of Harmon would b
regarded as the Reputation of Taft b,
his own State. We do not think SC
= Harmon's election will make. him
most available candidate for the Demo
y cratic nomination for President in 1912
"A but 1t will not mean anything NOR
o than that, or 1T would not have bee
l. thought as meaning more than that
II hut for the speech made by Mr.. Kno
a at Columbus. 1t will take some care
"a full hguring to undo Ilr, Knox's worl
l. to be sure. but that is the price tn
n President must pay for turning hi
vi Cabinet loose in campaign whic
% they did not understand
/, .y-s.--=-==------------..----=----=-----
nj ROASTING ABOUT 1T.