Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-10-04
WRITES OF
TEDDY AND
HIS WAYS
la TOILETTE PRINTS FIRST OF A
SERIES OF ARTICLES GIVING
HIS VIEWS OF ROOSEVELT AND
HIS METHODS.

Madison, Wis, oct. 4'-hesumlng
publication of his autobiography,
which was interrupted last spring,
Senator Robert NJ. La Toilette, in La
Follette's magazine, today prints the
first Of five articles which are de-
signed to round out his story, and
which deal vitally with the present
national campaign, and the part he
played in the early stages Of the pro-
gressive movement
La Toilette plans to tell his story
under the following captions
1-"Why | Became a Candidate for
President"
2-"The True Story of the Cam
paign"
S-"why I Continued as candi-
date"
4-"Roosevelt Never Really Pro-
gressive."
5-"His Record"
Roosevelt" La Toilette says in
discussing the colonel's record, has
merely been a rhetorical radical" He
declares that on June 27, 1910 when
he visited Roosevelt at Oyster Bay,
the colonel said of Taft, Sometimes
a man makes very good lieutenant
but not very good captain"
an the light of subsequent events
says La Toilette, there can be little
doubt that when Roosevelt left the
White House he had 1916 firmly in
mind. He returned from Africa to
find that many changes had taken
place the progressive movement he
found far in advance Of him; he neith-
er understood It, nor was he in SYM
pathy with its manifest purposes, in
so far as he comprehended them. He
deliberated for a time as to whether
he would stand with the admnistra-
tion supporting Taft for re-nomina-
tion or seek to identify himself with
the progressives-or straddle. He
straddled.
1T left him awakwardly stranded
in the election of 1910. He halted
to take account of stock. Events were
rapidly transpiring 1t was evident
that the Taft administration was los
ing ground day by day. The congress
sional election of 1910 forecasted dis.
aster for the Republican party in 1912.
Roosevelt was still looking to
1916, and as the political situation de-
veloped in the following year. in his
political philosophy, which is always
personal, Tafts denomination and de-
feat in 1912 fitted admirably into his
plan.
"Then came his tour in the spring
of 1911. It fired his blood, There
was the old-time crowds, the music
the cheers. He began to think Of
1912 for himself. It was four years
better than 1916, and four years counts
in the life Of a man turned SO; a world
of things may happen in four years.
"But every one saw the uncertain
ties Of 1912. Roosevelt clearly saw
them. He could take no chances. He
could not afford to become a candi-
date against Taft and fall,
"Why not put forth another man,
and feel out the Taft strength? II it
became apparent that Taft could not
be beaten for the nomination, a con-
test would nevertheless weaken him,
and make his defeat in the election
more certain. II 1t became clear that
Taft could be beaten in the conven-
ton, and furthermore that he (Roose-
velt) could win the election against
a Democrat, his restored confidence,
resulting from the tour Of 1911, made
him reasonably certain that he could
displace the candidate put out against
Taft, stampede the convention, and
secure the nomination for himself"
AT this point La Toilette closed the
first chapter. In the second INSTALL
ment of his story, to be published
next week, La Toilette will deal with
the rapid growth of La Follette's can
didacy for president.
49,