The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-26
ROOSEVELT SERVES NOTICE.

/, In this most important crisis il
American politics. especially crisis
as 1T concerns the Republican party anc
himself, Mr.. Roosevelt acts with has
accustomed promptness and energy. II,
has served formal notice that he will
wage war without quarter upon the
'old guard Of the Republican party
IN the State of New York. He claims
that he has been drawn into the fight
against his will, but now that he is in
1T, his fight viii be to a finish, We dc
not doubt the latter part of 1t in the
least, but the former part of it is
clearly little disingenuous. Mr.. Roose.
welt has been aching to get into the
night ever since he got back from Eu-
roope. He did not want to get into it
against President Taft. 10 be sure, but
be was determined to be in the fight,
Just the same, His delay has had the
one aim Of capturing President Taft.
HIS maneuvering to that end has been
mastery. He caught Presidet Taft in
the false position which the cold
guard of New York had placed him
without his quite realizing it, If there
had been little time. President Taft
would have quietly settled into that
place, Just as he settled into acquies-
cence In the bunko tariff bill which he
knew was a fraud. But Roosevelt was
on hand, and promptly took advantage
OF che situation like the master pol
itician that he is He knew perfectly
well that if he raised a storm around
| President Taft s ears that Taft would
be frightened and get out of the place
where the cold guard i'm New York
were getting settled. Until he was set
tied he was subject to change After
he had become settled there would be
no way of moving his ponderous mass.
So Roosevelt acted quickly through
Gnscom. He showed President Taft
that the position he was settling into
was antagonistic to himself, Roosevelt,
and he warned Taft that their friend
ship OF many years was in danger
President Taft became alarmed and
the beating of drums around his ears
from the Roosevelt faction confused
him. Fice-President Sherman went to
Taft to rcassure him, and TO convince
him that all was well if he would only
stand pat. Ordinarily that would have
been effective, but Roosevelt allowed
the enemy no rest. He besicged Taft
fiercer than ever, showed that Sherman
was interfering between their long
friendship, and Sherman was silly
enough TO help Roosevclt's plans by |
lndulging in some foolish talk after he |
had seen Taft TO the effect that the New |
YORK campaign would be made |
' straight out Republican. - Asked |
what ought TO be done with the direct |
primary issue, Sherman said that he .
thought that thing had been eliminated
from the campaign by the action of the
legislature, and he approved with J
hearty laughter the suggestion that
- the only element in the party favor
ing reform of the primary had been
to the Supreme Court clear
ly lntimating that with the removal of
Governor Hughes there was nothing
more to fear, and that Taft was on their
side
The ''old guard" " of New York, how.
ever, did not know their man when they
that the winning of a prelim-
mary skirmsh was the winning of the
battle. Roosevelt noticed immediately
the weakness Of Sherman in the prat.
Tie he made after leaving President
Taft feeling so secure in his position
So Roosevelt made the fight on Taft
hotter than ever, and finally sprung !
on him the proposition that the pub
ic was being convinced that the turn.
ne down of Roosevelt for temporary
chairman Of the New York State con
'ention had been directly melted by :
President Taft himself. This was more {
than Taft could stand, and he broke
)ut In remonstrance and came clear !
ovel to the Roosevelt side, remembering l
old ties of friendship and fearing to I
break with the great hunter of lions.
And Roosevelt lost no time in fastening !
iim there and letting the country see a:
lis captive. I
1t must he confessed. however. that !
he "old guard meets Roosevelt S 5
.hallenge with a brave front and un. 1
iaunted spirit. Mr.. Barnes, speaking /
or the :" old guard" trumpets defiance 7
aging that they will not violate the l
principles for which they have been {
lighting at the dictation of anyone, and {
hat if they must fight, a hard fight
t shall be. S
And so the forces line up. The fight i
n New York will undoubtedly be the L
spectacular political fight of the year; a
md this fight, too, is wholly within S
he ranks Of the Republican party. Both !
ides seem to consider that the State IS
S probably lost to that party this year t
by reason Of this internal conflict. n
However we do not doubt that the s
aoosevelt-Taft combination will win /
within the party even though the party =
oses the State, and it will perhaps be a
wo or three years before the cold s
,uard comes again into full posscs o