Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-02-14
KINDS OF P2OCRESSIVES
SOME ARE MERELY AGITATORS
WHILE OTHERS, LIKE PRES
IDENT ACHIEVE.
anything 70 BEAT TAFT"
Record of Administration Cannot be
Imcpnched Before PeOplc-No pro-
grcsslNe Crisis at Hand.


LANSING, Mich. Feb. 13.-Frank-
lin MacVeagh, secretary Of the treas
ury, firing an administration pre-con-
vention campaign gun here tonight at
the annual C.nner of the Zach Chan
dler Republican club, wh1e he was
the guest of honor came out flatly
with the expressed belief that Theo-
dore Roosevelt would not-and with
his makeup, could not-run against
Taft for the republican presidential
nomination this year.
Secretary MacVeagh confined his
confidence to thc present contest, how
ever, intimating that there might come
time when the president wsuld be
justified in re-entering a presid entail
race. Averrng that Colonel Roosevelt
dental arena by his dscsuation OF
1904, the secretary said
1T may be difficult to explain away
the present appearance created by
Roosevelt's silence, and the volubill-
ties of his insurgent visitors, but that,
to my mind is not so difficult, as it
is believed believed that Roosevelt
would not accept a nomination this
year under any conceivable circum-
stances. For it must be admitted that
nothing short of a national crisis
such as may come in the future, but Is
not within the range of sane imagina-
tion now-wOuld ever be accepted as
justification for such a change Of
front-and this Roosevelt must
know"
Insurgents are RcaCtionaries.
The secretary of the treasury under
took to define what sa progressive y
giving to President Taft that title and
calling the republican insurgents re-
actionaries. His conclusions regarded
republican progressives were epito-
mized in these words:
I'VE have today a progressive ad-
ministration and a progressive presi-
dent and we have reactlonary oppo-
sion within the party-roactionary
Notwithstanding the honest belief Of
those wh9 who are carrying it on
that they are progressives and not re-
actionarles at ALL"
Mr.. MacNeagh argued that there
were various kinds of progressives.
One set, he said, PIT their weight upon
agitation and education, another upon
legislation and achievement. Both, he
regarded as necessary to progress.
Bark Up the Wrong Tree.
There is a third class Of progress
sives, he continued, who give con-
stant emphasis to the title of pro-
gressves, but who haven't the invaria
BILE scent for progress; and who are liza
bile to trail of and bark up the wrong
tee the reactionary tree-now sup
porting the old logrolling system OF
tariff legislation and now attacking
the supreme court our present in
surgents are of this clNh"
Mr.. MacVeagh argued that Presi-
dent Taft had assumed and been
faithful to the policies of his prede-
cessor augmenting them by "anoth-
er distinguished list of great policies
of his own"
Teddy Blazcd; Taft Fixed.
Taft and Roosevelt" Mr. Mac
Veagh continued, have been two en-
inent presidents, and the administra-
tiong compliment each other and are
practically one. Roosevelt came first
as he should have come. and Taft came
Ia
welt blazed the way and Taft made
that way a highway"
The motto OF the republican oppo-
nents to the president. the secretary
declared, was anything to beat Taft
when II was found impossible con-
tnued Mr. MacNeagh. ITO make head
way with IaFollette or Cummins be-
cause they failed to touch the nation
al Imagination. the insurgents looked
about again. and then thought Of
Roosevelt This authorized. happy GO
lucky Roosevelt movement is the lat
est way to beat Taft ii is the new
club, the new bludgeon. Why they
wish to beat Taft at all is beyond
reasonable human comprehension.
They do not want to nominate LaFol-
lette or Cummlns or Roosevelt The
anything to beat Taft movement was
begun as vendetta-and 1t has more
or less of that blood in the eye char
acter STILL
Roosevelt VIII not Hun.
"Unless ] am gravely mistaken.
they will find 1t difficult to a man
to deal with Roosevelt. 1 believe the
anything TO beat Taft people will
never succeed in inducing Roosevelt
to lead them. A third term--even II
a third term were legitimatIzed by