The Detroit times., 1910-01-10
GREAT BATTLE TO.
Be STARTED BY
ROOSEVELT
He VIII Give Aid To Progressives
Who Have Been Fighting Against
Big Interests, Say Letters
L From Darkest Africa.
Taft's Surrender TO the Trusts Con-
vinoss Roosevelt His Policies Are
Surely in the Ditch.
sy OLSON GARDNER.


WASHINGTON. Jan. 10.--That ex.
President Roosevelt will cast his for
tunes with the newly organizing pro-
sressive party Is hope that Is rapid
ly turning into fixed belief.
Efforts quietly made by the Taft
administration to secure from the
famous African hunter something
which, would seem like an indorse'
ment u the course pursued up to date.
have entirely failed.
On the other hand II is known that
Roosevelt's closest friends-men who
have kept In touch by correspondence
with him even since he reached the
distant hunting grounds-are In ex.
cellent spirits. and full confidence that
there is rescue now in sight.
What little is said takes the form OF
statement OF general reasons why
Roosevelt Is certain to lend the weight
Of his admittedly great influence to
the progressive movement. Such
statement follows. Qt IL not In any
sense an authorized or Official pres
entation OF Roosevelt's views.)
Roosevelt Is progressive. Natur-
ally HIS sympathies are with that ele-
ment OF his party, which holds pro-
gressive views.
Roosevelt always has been a regu-
lar party man. He always has be.
l!eved In organization, and his work
has been As a reformer within the
party. When he came into ONCE he
found the Republican party dominated
by the business interests-a party OF
reaction. He announced his purpose
then, to ''save the party from ITSELF"
Under his direction the Republican
party stood for progress.
The last big task undertaken by
Roosevelt, was OF perpetuating after
his retirement. the character OF the
Republican party as he had stamped II.
X do not want to see an era OF
reaction" was Roosevelt's statement
In discussing what should follow
March 1. 1908.
For IS months previous to that date
Roooevclt then president, fought IT,
ken 0QntrQ1 Of the national coQN&H
tim, IN order that thercandidate miglt
be man committed to 'progressivs"
policies.
He won an empty victory. William
Howard Taft proved to be reactionafy.
With the presidency went the party
organization. The leadership Of con-
eress had long been shown to be In
reactfonary hands. So all that re-
NAMED was the small group-"insur.
gents" In the house, progressive Re-
Iublicans' in the senate.
Before Roosevelt left the country,
and before the special tariff session
had shown how complete had been
the executive surrender 1t was evident
that reaction" was again the dominat-
ing note. The Roosevelt policies had
lost. The Roosevelt influence had
waned. All things we're most pleas.
Ing to the people whose influence
Roosevelt had struggled to resist In
naming Taft
II Is a year and two months since
Taft learned of his election. An era
of reaction has been In full swing.
Congress has done the bidding OF the
special interests, and the white house
has kept hands OF.
Such Ia not the record hoped for by
Roosevelt when he fought Cannon.
Knox, Fairbanks and the other allies
IN behalf of a candidate pledged TO
carry out my policies"
But Roosevelt had also made some
promises. He had promised the puo-
lie and himself not to interfere with
Taft's administration. He arranged
trip to Africa.
The Taft administration has made
It's record. That the record Is reac.
tionary there Is scarcely any further
effort to deny.
Roosevelt will return to the United
states as the leader Of the progressive
wing of his party He will favor the
nomination OF some recognized pro-
cressive to succeed Taft.
Roosevelt will help those candidates
in congress who fought the tarin bill.
n he returns to the United States be-
fore the congressional elections. he
will take the stump or write an editor
ial Endorsement OF such progressive
senators and representatives as op-
posed Cannon and Aldrich.