Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-06-01
THE COUNTRY IS PROGRESSIVE"

grcssive, one has only to study the
presidential possibilities to see that
only a progressive" has any chance
of becoming the next president of the
United States. This statement may
be somewhat startling to stand pat
New England, but 1t will unquestion-
ably become necessary for us to speed
lily get accustomed to this idea.
Unless all signs fail Governor Will
son Of New Jersey will be the demo-
cratic candidate for the presidency
Governor Harmon Of Ohio and Speak
err Champ Clark are the only othar
possibilities in sight on the demo-
cratic side of the presidential fence,
but they are rapidly fading from the
list of presidential probabilities. Gov
ernor Wilson has been making host
OF acduaintances in all parts of the
West and in all human probability his
will be the only name seriously con-
sidered for the democratic nomination
for the presidency.
It now seems to be a foregone con-
clusion that President Taft will be
rerominatcd by the republicans, but
if any other choice We're to be made,
it would evidently fall upon PRO-
gressive republican, for no reaction
II,
OF carrying the principal Western
states.
The only essential remaining. there
fore, Is to show that President Taft
Is really to be included in the list of
progressive republicans. II might not
he necessary to consider this point
but for the fact that only eight
months ago and less a host of repub-
licans were roundly condemning Pres
idcnt Taft and the Republican party az
an organization because Of the claim
that the Payne Aldrich tariff act did
not carry out the party pledges re-
gardlng tariff revision downward. 1t
was that feeling that resulted in the
overthrow of the republicans in the
national House of Representatives,
but some of us have apparently al
ready forgotten that fact, for while
President Taft. true to his instinct as
well as the logic of the congressional
~
ret a few of those who condemned
him for the extent to which he stood
pa! have now exchanged places with
him.
We may not appreciate the extent
to whlch the President has become n
progressive. but if so it may aid u.
to know that, according TO the Wash
ington corresponds of the Philadel-
pha Ledger. President Taft has
turned to conservative progressive
policies and enlisted the advice Of
Colonel Roosevelt to help hlm make a
record in the last half of his admin
istration which will increase his
chances for e-electTon. He has now
assumed direction Of his own political
destines and will proceed along semi
progressive lines without the stand
pat faction of his party
This is the opinion of national poll
tlcians who have been observing the
admission of progressives into the
cabinet, Secretary of War Stmson and
Secretary of the Interior Fisher. and
the '.big stick" methods pursued rela-
tive to the passage of the Canadian
agreement.
Mr., Taft started the last half of his
administration by declaiming for recr-
procity with Canada ana revision of
tl- tariff downward, as the people
were led to believe was the promise
OF the 1908 platform In this he has
not pleased the radical protectionist.
ard the old time members Of the Sen
ate, so that to-day he is without the
| loyal support of the Senate coterie,
whrch once controlled legislation ana
national politics
This coterie-Crane, Lodge. Root
and Penrose-at heart ls opposed 10
any revision of the Payne tariff law,
which would lower tne tariff duties.
| None of them, from his political
| training and association and from th,
viewpoint of what he represents, -
devotedIy with the President in his
reciprocity programme. All of them
are giving him perfunctory support,
but this is in no sense aggressive.
These men recognize the increasin g
tendency toward democracy because
CT tariff reaction, and, unable them
selves to suggest remedies to continue
republican success in the nation, arc
with the President as their only safe
| course,
| Thus Mr., Taft, compelling support
from the regulars and receiving Il
voluntarily from the democrats, IS
making the one supreme effort fol-
himself in the presidential campaign
next year-reciprocity,
In reciprocity with Canada, the
President national leaders say. viii
win over the Middle West, soften the
cDposition of tho insurpants and mar