Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-03-07
Jo01o909ooo0. q 0OSS00ooO00.

nomination. Public mmontion Of Il by
responsible public men is not heard.
but much quiet work IL being done,
and the lines ara already taking
shape.
This Ia, OF course. tho formative
time. Therefore | see every reason
why the public discussion Of this mat
ter IL IN order now. while there stili
remains chance Tor tho general body
Of the voters In each party to lnflu-
ence tho result, The longer wo wait,
tho nearer tho conventions. and the
less likelihood that the will OF the peo-
plo may prevail against political ma
neuyerings and the dictation OF tho
bosses May national convention
does no moro than ratify a nOmiation
safely secured, by methods we all
know, months before the delegates as-
semble. Tho time TO strike Is when
the iron Ia hot aud can still be shaped
II am II Republican. and ms such
am Interested IN the success OF the
Republican party ms an instrument for
securing tho public wolfars In COM
mon with all other Republicans. | am
deeply Interested (and rightly so) In
tho next presidential nomination, but
differ from some others In being
willing to speak out. The public in
forest Is not apt TO suffer from plain
speaking Thus far however, | con-
form cheerfully TO the prevailing Gus
tom, and express no opinion aa to
who the Rcl ublican nominee will be.
or who he ought to be.
"But Il we keep silent over II we
should also keep up lively thinking.
For this at least is sure; The Repub-
lcan party cannot afford TO risk It's
chance Of victory In 1912 merely upon
tho hope Of Democratic blunders.
Tim0 was when that was reasonably
safe. To-day II Is a dependence dis
tinctly less reliable than In the past
Also We need larger issue.
In 1912 the nominee himself Will
be more than half tho platform. 1t
Is obvious. therefore. that tho Repub-
lican candidate should be selected
with peculiar otre ana that he must
have certain Indispensable qualified
ti0ns.
First. he must have wisdom. cour-
age, aud genuine devotion TO the well
faro OF the PEOPLE.
Second, he must be a progressive
and stand for popular government
Third, he must leader. whom
the voters will follow with enthusiasm,
Fourth, no must offer the party
ho is to lead 4 fair chance to win.
These rcctNem'nts are not unrea-
sonable, No man not a reactlonary
can object 10 the simple standard
they contain And no man whatever
can doubt that unless the next Re
publican national convention nomln-
ates a man who meets this test. tho
party is sure to suffer. For In these
days the independent voters are In
creasing by leaps and bounds
Party ties SIT moro lightly on tho
voter today than for many years, ana
that Is we'll In the last election many
"a Republican was beaten by tho re-
tusal Of his iellOw Republican to sup
port him rather than by the opposl-
ton OF the Democrats. Tho political
unrest OF today Is merely sign OF
political Independence, and political
Independence holds the promise Of
free istltutlous.
There are, l believe, many men
who feel as do. / am a Republican,
but / am an American first. / am a.
Republics, but / reserve tho right to
voto for what believe. / would
rather be right than be regular
'Ihe man who always votes
straight ticket has destroyed his own
political effectiveness. He has 5Im-
ply counted himself out The vote Of
the always-rogular Republican slm-
ply cancels tho vote Of the always
regular Democrat In effect the two
are paired and neither has an influ-
ence on the final result.
"Tho hide-bound regular must swol-
low what Is set before him, Dow It
must go, though It choke him, Dis
likes ana mlsslyinss alike give way at
lha crack OF the party Whlp' mere
iore ne mas hothlhB 70 say as TO pat
Iorns or Candidates Inc men the
poltlcal leaders never rear 70 loso
are the men these same leaders make
no eiiort 20 retain When party plat
lorms are drd"n up no changes need
oe maze 10 meet ths rook-rDDed reg
A