The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-08
CHATTER LXVu.

tiaI preferences. This is decidedly
significant. The governor has shown
signs for sometime that he would
throw LaFollette overheard and de-
cline to back him for the nomination.
Several months since it was under
stood that Governor Itubbs would not
announce his choice until just before
the convention next summer but he
appears now to have changed his
mind. The governor knows that Col
onel Roosevelt is not a candidate and
that he has urged his friends not to
attempt to secure delegates for him.
1t seems that the governor will try
to force the colonel into the race.
Now Colonel Roosevelt is not an In
surgent-" He is a Progressive. In fact,
he is a man who commands the re-
spect and admra ton, both of which he
has we'll earned. of both factions in
the Republican party, the Insurgents
and the Conservatives. Many of the
latter ike Taft. are Progressives.
The action Of Governor Stubbs is both
significant and at the same time APP
parently shows that he has lost faith
in the ability of an insurgent Repub
lican to voice the insurgents princi-
pies to the extent of becoming 3. leader
in the coming Republican campaign
That Governor Stubs is an admirer
of LaFonette, no one doubts He also
lists LaFollette as a typical insurgent
He and Senator Bristow are alike in
that respect, only Senator Bristow con-
tinues in the belief that the typical in
surgent is capable of leadership and of
representing that faction of the Re-
publican party in the battle for the
presidential nomination.
The governor has doubtless come
to the conclusion that LaFollette
stands no prospect Of gaining the
nomination or election. The fact that
LaFollette was scarcely mentioned at
the meeting of the powerful national
committee at Washington last month
certainly opened Governor Stubs
eyes. The overwhelming defeat of IN
surgent Geyer in the Second congress
sional district in November also pried
open the eyes of the governor, who
had made a strenuous and personal
campaign for Insurgent Geyer, but
saw him go down to defeat before a
Democrat.
To speak plainly, in the Governors
announcement there is a lot of what
might be graphically termed 'clap-
alias politics.
The governor says he is for the
nomination and election Of Theodore
Roosevelt:
Because the imperative need OF our
country for the next four years IS presl-
dent who believes in his heart in the
principles advocated by Lincoln, and who
has the courage of his convictions; sec
ond. because Colonel Roosevelt. more
than any other man is responsible for the
movement
rection of a government administered
honestly, decently and vigorously, with
out fear or favor for rich, poor, high, low,
black or white
Now of course Governor Stubbs
knows perfectly well that Taft has
the same beliefs. in his heart, that
Lincoln had and that he also has the
courage of his convictions. He also
knows it was Colonel Roosevelt who
suggested Taft for the presidency af-
ter Roosevelt as President, had tried
him for years in responsible places
and on important missions. The gov
ernor. in his heart, knows that Taft
has made good president. but he
seems to be afraid to admit it. He
knows it was Tat who carried out
many of the policies which Roose-
welt wisely initiated. and he also knows
that Taft has administered his office
honestly. decently and vigorously.
without fear or favor for rich, poor,
high low, black or white
Governor Stubs also knows that if
these are the reasons for which he
found he could not advocate LaFollette.
with the addition that LaFollette SEEM
ed to him unequal to the emergency;
that Taft is the man he ought to sup
port: for Taft is candidate and
Roosevelt is not; and that if Taft, the
leader of the Republican party in this
country today. be defeated, Governor
Stubs himself may find himself living
under q Democratic national admins
tration and possibly under a Democrat
ic state administration after he retires
from office.
The insurgents" are certainly doing
everything in their power to create dis
cord in the party which they claim as
their own This paper is pretty indie
pendent. It is a Taggart Democrat in
the Second district and a Taft Repub-
hcar outside. II does think that Taft
is getting shameful treatment from the
governor of Kansas and few others.
Governor Stubs announcement is
significant, decidedly so, in this re-
spect that it splits the insurgents into
AfN6 tciA - AAG 50 Ills - ASH 4DGd ~
Virgil that: "All Gaul is divided into
three parts" But insurgency of the
Republican party in Kansas now di-
vides itself into five parts. The insur-
gent quintette in this state consists of
five people: Governor Stubbs Bank
Commissioner Dolley, also chairman
of the Republican state central com
1nittee; Arthur Capper publisher of
the Kansas Daily State Insurgent Or
gan and a candidate for governor;
William Allen White. who is for any
one to beat Taft and would rather vote