The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-08
rhe GOV. Chase Osborn Episode

| The Gov. Chase Osporn EPisoue
Senator La Toilette is entitled to
sympathy. The Gov. Chase Osborn
episode at Lansing would convince
many an old-timer in politics that
the senator is being foully victimized
by men from whom he is entitled to
expect support. Others will think that
the senator should at least be on his
guard in order to avoid being played
for a sucker" as they say in the In
elegant but expressive language OF
the forecastle and the roundhouse.
The successful effort of Clifford Pin
chot and James II. Garfield to prev
ent the Endorsement of Mr.. La Fol-
lette for the presidency by the Ohio
progressive republican convention
was not conclusive in itself, but the
moment the Columbus and Lansing
episodes are considered in their rela-
ton to each other daylight begins to
shoot through the situation
Gov. Osborn's attack on the Wis
consin leader at meeting called in
the interest of the La Toilette can
didacy could have been inspired by
no other desire than to strange the
senator's aspirations and to send him
back to Washington hopelessly beat
en- man. Into the question of the
ethics or the etiquet of the Michigan
governors performance, while acting
as the chairman Of the meeting, II
is not necessary to go. 1t Is sufici-
| ent to note the facts. In the house
of his putative friends, the knife was
unexpectedly thrust between the sen.
ator's ribs And the progressive gov
ernor would have made precisely the
same speech, he declares, had the
candidate himself been present to
hear it. This singlar method of aid
ing the La Toilette cause has its
merits, one is bound to admit, for its
directness leaves the country in nc
possible doubt as to its underlying pun
pose. At Columbus Messrs. Pinchot
and Garfield were able to offer very
| plausible reasons in justification Of
the refusal to tender to the senator
| the Endorsement he must have cray
ed, and still to pose as his political
supporters and friends. Gov Os
borns style of uplift was far less
subtle, for he frankly gave the sena
for, by way of support, the toe of his
boot. 1t was the final touch to q
campaign OF hypocrisy about a.
absurd as one often sees.
If the senator from Wisconsin still
deceiyes himself, probably no one
else does. A large portion of the
progressives-those whom we identi
fly particularly as the old guart
Roosevelters-have but one presiden
tial candidate in view, whom 1t II
needless to name. They have nevel
had any other candidate in view, anC
they are not likely TO regard any
other as worth a wink OF sober con
sideration during the larger part o
the next decade They are not nat
ural conspirators against Mr.. Roose
velt's comfort and happiness, anC
they do not act consciously agalns
his wishes. They are what they ar,
because they were born so. Wher,
their deceit has developed has beer
in pretending in the least degree L
be La Toilette men at any stage II
the struggle to place their lord ant
master again in the White House
Gov. Osborn himself must be acduit
ted OF the charge of hypocrisy wheth
er conscious or unconscious; the ele
menetal truth in his honest natur,
surged up when he openly advised
that the party settle upon Albert ]
Beyeridge or Theodore Roosevelt
as If the worshipful Albert jeremiah
was to be thought of moment il
comparison with the mighty person
age whose image fills the mind o
every genuine republican progresslv,
in this broad land today!
It probably has not been forgotten
that in the anxious September dayl
OF the presidential contest of 1870,
Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati
congressman, also bound by ties o
marriage to the house of Roosevelt
was suddenly retired as q campaign
speaker because in an address oil
the presidential struggle he had I'm
dertaken TO forecast the future some
thing like this: Four years OF Tai
ana interregnum: then eight year
more OF Roosevelt. The popular ei
feet was not fortunate because Mr.
Taft had been nominated entirely be
cause or Mr.. Roosevelt's demand. an,
at that time II was the accusation o
; his opponents that he was to keel
the presidency warm four years 70
his political patron and creator. I
. the episode of the Longworth speecl
has been forgotten II is worth re
calling now. For there is no doub
Whatever that the more extreme o
Mr. Roosevelts followers never ro
garded President Taft in any othe
light than that In which the Long
, worth ineptitude threatened to plac,
: him before the country
Senator La Toilette. radical thousl
ne be, can have no other fate thar
President Taft has had at the hands
OF Mr.. Roosevelts personal follow
ing, The moment Mr. Taft began I,
be president under his own hat. tina
crowd turned upon him. And IN,
moment that Senator La Toilette. IN,
severest republican critic the Taf
administration has had, begins I,
loom up as n formidable leader O
the anti.Taft wing Of the party. h,
-, goes under the hoofs OF the Roose
velt rough riders of American poll
ties. The senator will be rich in OK
perience when this little business h
finally settled.
.. MORE MOOSE Ess nrrn