The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-08-08

I convention, and It makes the signifl-
cant prediction that Roosevelt will
come out of his convention at chica-
| go this week distinctly weaker than
when he went in. The Press says:
In Chicago today Colonel Roose-
welt begins to undergo a popular
test very different from the one last
June in the same city. At that time
he was in the glamour OF the figure
battling as personality against un.
emotional machinery He was, so to
speak. hurting himself against a
stone wall in a desperate EFFORT to
crash through It. That sort of eff.
fort, whether partially successful OF
wholly frultless, is always, in the
eyes OF the general public, very
engaging; the enterprise itself, with
its pluck, its daring, and it's def
ance, irrespective of the deeper ques.
lions at issue, challenges the admir-.
}attcn even of those who are opposed
to the cause for which such struggle
is made. Probably the gladiator
fighting valourously in the Roman
arena was admired as a human en-
CINE by the very persons decreeing
his DOOM
In Chicago last june Colonel
Roosevelt held the attention OF
Americans as Aercely battling war.
rior against odds. Perhaps in a
million of minds the chief thought
at that. time was as to whether his
bold enterprise could win that due
between man and machinery. But
for hundreds of thousands of others
-Republicahs4there was some.
thing else of interest in the sltua.
ton. 1t was, as they thought, that
the struggle was to determine .he
leadership of their party Not
whether Mr.. Roosevelt should take
the Republican party or go out OF
1t and make another party, but
whether. all in the party, Mr.. Roose.
welt or somebody else should lead
1t.
Now Mr.. Roosevelt, on the same
!, field of Chicago, will have nothing to
fight with his tremendous energy
and electric personality. All in the
convention are his friends and fol.
lowers. Where he would go they
would go; what he would do they
would do. The excitement of con.
i flict will be lacking; the glamou,
of the warrior. hopelessly sur.
rounded but fighting to break bis
way through, will be absent. And
SO. in respect OF that change. will
the public scrutiny of him this week
be different from what 1T was in that
other week of June. Then, marvel.
ing and almost GREATNESS, the
American people were watching
what he did. They were watching
him as the personal man in action
Now, when he is not on the battle.
field, but in the council chamber
they are watching to see what he
says and what 1t means. The other
scrutiny was warm and emotional
This will be cold and analytical.
: There are the Republicans,
perhaps hundreds OF thousands, who
desired the nomination OF the colonel
by the first June convention, but
who will not countenance his purpose
to destroy their party, which aid MOI
nominate him at the other Chicago
gathering. What program Is adopted
this week to carry out that an
nounced purpose of killing the Re:
publican party is of more concern
to those hundreds of thousands OF
voters, than any other issue that will
be before them in this campaign.
We, can speak with authority, for
we have had hundreds OF letter
from Republican voters declaring
their stand in the matter in saying
that when MI Roosevelt pronounced
'sentenceepf death upon his. party for
mot nominating him an army of Re-
tpuhiicans previously in favor of him
turned against him for good and all.
Make no mistake about it. Republi-
can voters will not allow Mr. Roose-
welt to destroy their party. And if
he leaves his convention this week to
execute the sentence of death which
he has pronounced there will be still
other numbers of Republican voters
to turn from him.
Platform, aI,o,s