Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-10
VERMONT FOR TAFT,
from the 81. Adams Messenger

Grom the 81. Adams Messenger
Superficial indications at least go far
toward confirming the impression that re
publican sentiment in Vermont favors
the denomination OF President Taft in
1912. OF course. there has been no square
test of this sentiment by an election of
any kind nor has there been an oc-
casion for the spontaneous expression OF
something like a positive and determined !
public opinion on some great issue that
essentially involved the Presidents popu
larity with the multitude or provoked an ,
introductory judgment on his states
manship.
To be sure, some Of our friends and !
neghbors that could not endorse the
proposition of reciprocity with Canada !
and feared that their business interests
would be harmed by such a trade policy
have recently INDUCED themselves in
some rescntfUl threats about retaliation /
at the polls in 1912. but the majority o.
men opposed to the measure have been /
inclined to view its adoption with an
academic mind and to appreciate the fact !
thai the wisest statesmen in the world
cannot be expected TO please everybody |
And the resentful ones. the ones that
because he has dared to stand sponsor
for this reciprocity departure are more
than likely. the most of them, to find
their wrath considerably cooled off fiji
teen months from now, especially when
they have discovered, as the Messenger
sincerely believes they will, that all the
direful predictions OF disaster that false
prophets have volunteered about reel
procitY have come to naught.
As nation We are sensible people
politically, most of the time, that is to
say. whatever incidental fouies we toler-
ate or commit in national policy, we are
fairly true to the pole of old-fashioned
common sense when some great issue T..
presented to us squarcly on that ground
and the ballots Of all the people cast on
! one day can determine It.
And so, when thoughtful men review
the record of President Taft as a Judge
and a statesman before he was elected
20 the chief ma gistracy; when they study
| his career in the White House since
when they see how with whatever ad-
ministratve mistakes of an open. frank,
, honest too trustful nature there still un-
derlios every official act and every ad-
ministrative policy. great-hearted,
ton to serve his country to the best that
Is IN him: when thcy see that, sometimes
amidst problems of ycXatious uncertain
| ", OF perpleXing doubts, whep The popu-
lar mind and counsel experienced in
| ststeCraft were not always in accord ne
has patiently borne tha passing criticism
Of rot always mature judgment and
waited for the vindication of time or sue
ifeg pf hi I
'ar-secins purpose IN the matter when
they see that his school of statesmanship
the calm, poised, reflective. philoeouhi-
cal, studious school that breaks ground
slowly sometimes but that never turns
back and is as resistless as the tide
when they see that kind of statesmanship
slowly but steadily, with no hurrahs or
spectacular acclaim, every day seat him
more securely in the confidence Of the
American public as the man that can Le
| trusted not to lose his head
The renom!naton OF President Taft
will follow AS the natural sequence OF
eject after cause
What other man In the Republican
party to-day Is better fitted to grapple
with present conditions and the future
possibilities arising ont Of them?
The Messenger believes that with all
the tendency toward upset in national
party distinctions that prevail NOWADAYS
even in roclt-rlhbcd Vermont the great
majority of the republicans of this State
and many of the most progressive demo
, Gratis favor the denomination of the Pres
ident There l. a very warm admiration
4 Of Woodrow Wilson a. a man and a
| leader very popular acceptation OF
| D1o1 ~ Of h.
v lie policies lie Is recognized most cor
n daily as a growing statesman. and that
r too, by mon who profess to be repuhli-
$ cans. But party lines are becoming
e hazy, just as hazy for republicans, SC
= far as platforms are concerned, as they
have been for the democrats since 1896
Woodrow Wilson may some day, per
hapH. become the popular candidate fol-
the presidency even In Vermont. Bu
for 1912 unless the Messenger Is mis-
taken, the prevailing sentiment of this
State Will he 10 Let well enough alone.
We already know what Mr., Taft |:
, and what he is capable OF doing. Boil
g these aspects of the man have gained
= tho confidence of the American people
. He can reelected for four years more
- without violating a sensible precedent o
!, American politics. Common sense, there
fore, suggests plainly enough tho reason
. able policy and the wise one,
After Mr.. Tart we shall have to MAKE
: new decision and take new risk
with Mr.. Taft four Years longer there
will be no need of new decision an'
still less possibility of any risk.
IKE Rev "A = burton who died re