St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-11-13

OF two democratic congressman and
the threatened election Of a demo-
cratic governor and United States
senator from this old Granite state.
You have, through the savage cam
paign of Mr. Bird and his fellow
ravens, compassed the defeat in
Mass achusetts of Joseph Walker,
pronounced and Eigh-mindsd. pro-
gressive republican. You have pre-
vented the election of the United
Senate of so independent and unset
fish a statesman as Samuel w. Nc
Call, and have invited the election
to that post held by Webster, Sum-
ner and Hoar, of Honey" Fitzger-
aid of Sweet Adeline" fame. And
all because Roosevelt must sit in the
seat of Washington, Jefferson, Jack
son and Lincoln for at least term
beyond. 1t did not matter to you
whether republicans would vote for
him or not. You didn't need their
votes. He would stampede the dem
ocratic ranks. He would even split
the solid South wide open with his
irresistible personality on the great
est program for humanity ever
adopted as a party platform. 1t
| is all over now, and he has not split
open the solid South, nor stampeded
the democratic vote. He has receiv-
ed simply the vote of a portion of the
old republican party under a new
name. 1t is that portion of the party
which was ever thrilled by his meth
DDS in the days of his administra-
tions. The other section of the party
consists of those who never cared for
his spectacular methods, but who
stood by him for the party's sake.
They considered they had earned
the right to be rid of him at the in
auguration of President Taft. They
bad his soelmn assurance to that
effect Not all of them could have
voted for him again even as the
regular republican nominee. They
would not have created a split in the
party, but many of them would have
held him to his promise by declin-
ing to vote for him again, and no
force of organization could have held
them He would have polled the
Roosevelt vote, just as he has done
in this case, and no more. Every
American voter who wanted to, voted
for him Tuesday. He polled the full
Roosevelt vote. His campaign was
calculated to bring it out. The at
tempt on his life at Milwaukee, with
the sympathies aroused by it, prob
ably doubled his vote.
Is it clear to you now, Mr.. Bull
Mooser, that Theodore Roosevelt
must be content with the honors he
has already received from the Amer
lean people? The folly of expecting
democratic stampede to your lead
er must be apparent to you now. One
cannot see possibly how you can
ever succeed in your main attempt
the achievement of a third term for
Your leader. Loyal republicans are
in very comfortable position. The
responsibilities of government over
most of the country have fallen from
them. They need not hurry to
decide what they shall do. They
know, Mr.. Bull Mooser, that you can
never win without them. You can
not convert the democrats. You can
not convert republicans by calling
them all the names of the Roosevelt
tian vocabulary. They are as con-
scientious in their beliefs as you are
in yours. They are ready to forget
and forgive what they regard as a
colossal wrong. They are ready to
cooperate, but not to surrender.
Their leader is eliminated as a pres
idential possibility. They are sane
and frank enough to grant it. You
may as wei grant the same OF your
leader. The third term issue is
settled forever. 1t would be Naasy to
name thousands of American citi-
zens who will be elected to the pres
idency before ever Theodore Roose-
yelt will get a third term. Think it
over and decide whether it is a per-
Sonality or principle you care most
for. IF you are truly interested in
a program for human welfare YOU
may count on them every trip. But
they will take their place as a per-
petual minority rather than break
down the noblest traditions of our
government-[M Manchester Union.