The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-02
NOT FOR him
Continued from Page Four)

Continued from Page Four.)
Republican party. February "a. 1912.
1 - d iataI date for the prestige and
ncnora Bile fame of Theodore Roose-
It's true
What has happened to change the
attitude of the ex-president toward the
wise custom which limits the presi-
Gent TO two terms which was estab-
S~shed by Washington and respected
py the adherents of every president
doWn to General Grant, and which his
powerful supporters were unable to
overthrow, in spite of his great mil
lary fame and the ''tumult of ac-
claim with which he was received by
the whole country on his return from
a triumphant tour of the world after
ms second term as president? Few
accepted RooSeVeIt'S estimate of Taft s
qa ad for the high office in
19US, but many are ready now to |
agree with the special encomium that !
he is 'pre-eminently fit, in point of !
uprightness and character, of fear
less and aggressive honesty, and of /
fitness for championing the rights of
the people as whole, to be presi- I
dent!" His administration has not |
ceen without defects and shortcom- |
inSs- 1t has not esca ped fault-finding !
any more than that of his predeces-
sor, or that of. Lincoln or even Wash
lngton, the great eXemplars of wis
dom and virtue; but he has done
'uprightness and character or of
fearless and aggressive honesty.
That can no longer be said OF ms
predecessor, ''more's the pity. Taft
has lost nothing of his personal quail Il
tiles and he has fulfilled all reason
able expectations in pressing forward
the policies which he inherited. II
he has lost favor with some, 1t IS
where he has seemed to be too insist
ent in his consistency.
Tt is well that Roosevelt has come
out into the open and avOwed his can
didacy. 1t will clear the atmosphere
and allow the hysteria to subside, and
when the summer months arrive the
nervous shock will be oVS-. The ar
tificial strain cannot be kept up Taft
will be renonlinated there will be co
third movement of formidable proper
tiOns, and in the autumn the two main
parties will face each other with their
candidates and their platforms for the ]
peoples choice; but Roosevelt's prestige
will have suffered irreparable damage
from the error into which infatuation
has led him--New York Journal of I
Commerce.
Roosevelt Enters the Fight.
For Colonel Roosevelt himself, as
well as for his party. the answer is
1t viii precipitate
conflict which is needless, for it is :
not likely to accomplish its object.
Unless vast and altogether unex-
ampled change in the temper of the =
party takes place between
now and the opening of the national !
convention on June IS, the colonel
Will be beaten. He has already re- |
cefVed unparalleled honors from his q
party. He is the only vice president |
who. going to the presidency through d
the death of the incumbent of that 9
office, ever succeeded in getting IT
afterward by election In his cleo
ton he polled plurality of the pop
ular vote three times as great as that
Of any previous occupant of the White =
House These achievements ought to II
satisfy any mans ambition c
Many old-time Republican admirers
of Col Roosevelt will look upon his
act as unfair to an old friend, and as 3
something closely resembling bad faith p
to his party. AS a member of the cabt- II
net Mr.. Taft helped to create the pop :
llarity for the Roosevelt administra-
lion which enabled it's head to roll g
up his great majority in 1904, and ne II
was that presidents favorite for the !
in 1908 to succeed himself.
The third term tradition and his .
promise of 1904 not to be a candidate
again under any circumstances would :
De brought up against him and in >
lede the party if he should be nomi- (
lated His nomination would proba- d
ply create feud in the party which g
would deprive it of many votes in the e
lection, and might defeat it. The Re G.
publican party has great admiration 2
or Col. Roosevelt, but his truest frienGs e
Will be inclined TO believe that his en- n
rance into the canvass gives more n
comfort to his Democratic enemies than II
t does to his Republican compatriots. e
st Louis GIobe-DemOcrat.
il
\ Political Resume. Il
The political pendulum has swung .,
or Taft. He is growing stronger; he is .
egaining his popularity A few months .,
go the Republican party was split -
vide open in the nation and the Dem :,
~ eio pc -, Te,t a., fisia a
ting and the Republicans are an q,
Il - : io - IS, 49, ,z +,,, ,,,,+ -+o,.4 m
ro1,,a+i,s bS+ It