The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-07
TO REh0MINATE
TAFT WOULD MEAN
SURE DEFEAT
Party Men Who Want Success and
Power Look Longingly Towards
Progressives Like Roosevelt
Lafollette op PinChOt.
Presidents Weaknesses and His
Strength and What Can Be
Expected From Them.
BY gibson GARDNER.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., Feb. L.
Taft and sure defeat. or a progress
sive candidate with a chance to win!
That is how the presidential situa
ton presents itself to Republicans.
And the presidential situation Is
more discussed in Washington today
than reciprocity, Lorimer or ship sub
sidy.
The men who manipulate eonEen.
tions have begun to hove. Maneu-
vering Is required to get the delegates
and the time before the national CON
vention is none too long.
That Taft win be renominated ana
that the Democrats win win Is an
opinion universally voiced I'M private
by those veterans OF the party who
belong to the regular or so-called
standpat wing. or course, they can
not say this publicly and ofhcially.
but il is the unanimous expression In
all cloakroom conferences. IL Is the
opinion OF men like Cannon, Tawney.
Lodge, Penrose, Crane and Fairbanks
and indeed of all Taft's friends.
They figure Tafts weaknesses as
follows:
% His failure TO receive indorse-
ment at the hands Of former Presi-
dent Roosevelt;
CD His alliance with such unpop-
ular influences In the party as Adrich,
Cannon, Ballinger, and others who are
generally credited with connections
with Special Privilege;
(3) The hostility of the progress
sive wing, led by men like LaFollette,
Cummins, Beverage, Pinchot and
Roosevelt:
ca The public disapprovaI Of
Taft's bad faith In accepting the pres
idency as a progressive, and then adj
nlinistering the Office as a reaction
airy;
(5) The bad effects OF his support
Of Ballinger and opposition to genuine
conservation;
CD Such other things as Taft's
acquiescence In the Aldrich tariff bill.
his use OF patronage to coerce pro-
gressives, his defeat OF the income
tax amendment, etc;
(D The cumulative effect OF these
as seen In the reputation OF the
party in the late elections.
Such are admitted to be the ele-
ulcuto VI WcdhucSS III arts SunuF
dacy. Opposed to these are the facts
that he has the confidence of the pow
erful business. interests generally
spoken OF as wallet; that there is
a strong sentiment I'm favor or giving
any president second term, and that
the regulars In his party favor his
denomination. But contributing much
more powerfully to the chances or
Taft's denomination are these -factsi-
ID That the Republican organizat
ton Ii controlled by Big Business; 4,
CD That the southern delegates
are brought under Taft control by
federal patronage and cash:
co That the tsouthern delegates
combined with the delegates who can
be delivered by state machines con-
trolled by such as Penrose. Lorfmer.
Crane, Aldrich, Carter and Warren,
make up two-thirds OF the. delegates
In the convention. ..-...
In short, faft's nomination can be-
forced by the combination of machine
politicians and Big Business.
Will f.? --.-------------
That liz another question.
"De you propose to try to defeat
Taft's nomination." Inquired New
England senator OF n senator promin-
emit I'm the organization OF the pro-
gressive league.
s'Do you propose to put the party
on the rocks by nominating Taftf
was the reply.