The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-06-28
Third PARTY Not Likely.

Third Party Not Likely.
Des Moines Register and Leader:
The Register and Leader does not at
tach much importance to the tentative
announcement that there will be a
third party movement.
Such movement could not get
away from first base unless men like
ICummins, Kenyon, LaFollette, Borah,
Hadley, Deneen, Johnson and others
| Of the progressive leaders should
cast their fortunes with it, and this
they certainly will not do so long as
Mr.. Roosevelt assumes that he him
self is the movement.
II Mr.. Rooseyelt's towering person
atty was resource of the anti-ad-
mfnistration forces in the convention
! fight, it was also the source of their
troubles. and the cause of their de-
feat. II it was easy. to rally support
to him, it was also easy to rally OPP
position to him, and in the end the
latter became much more important
than the former. The stiff alignment
icf the convention, an alignment that
never could have been formed behind
Taft, was formed against Roosevelt.
/ Mr.. Roosevelt could not persuade
the progressive leaders to organize
bolt from the convention. What like
lihood is there that he can now per
suade them to join in a third-party
movement? A bolt at the proper
time would have forced the issue But
having participated in all the subse-
quent proceedings of the convention,
in what position now Is even Mr..
Roosevelt himself to make his protest
effective? There was but one time to
act and that was when Elihu Root
was chosen temporary chairman.
The Root election acquiesced in. the
rest followed in the regular order.
If Mr.. Roosevelt would consent to
place himself on level with other
men, just as long in the progressive
movement as he has been himself,
and il conference would be called
ito consider the proprfety of a new
party alignment at which the claim
lof a dozen men to leadership could be
considered impartially, there might be
tShOuSii lA Vic olSudtiOA u justify tAC
rumors that are afoat. But Mr. Roose-
welt is constitutionally disqualified for
such a role. He has never spoken of
the movement as anything but
Roosevelt movement and he RACES and
/ frets because other men with ambi-
! tions of their own do not resign ev-
terything and devote their time and
lenergy to promoting his ambitions
That even Governor Hadley and Sen
Iator Borah at~length tired of their I'M
grateful task suggests the impossible
lily Of the situation.
II Mr.. Roosevelt had during the
past four years dedicated himself to
the cause, and worked for the nomi-
nation of progressive leader in this
convention. the majority for the prin-
lciples he stands for would have been
Overwhelming. He has had it in his
power in the past four years to abso-
llutely dominate the political thought of
this country. But because he can
mot disassociate the success of move
ment from his own personal promo
| ton, he contributes more than can be
estimated 10 the success I'll Inc FTeS-
lident, and to the entrenchment of the
old guard in party control.
1t is much too early to estimate
what the campaign will be. But 1t is
not too early to forecast the fortunes
OF purely personal third-party move
ment, in which none of the men who
would be needed to give such a move
ment political vitality would partici-
pate. If, after the Democratic nom
nation is made and the field has
cleared, such men as Cummins, Ken
yon, LaFollette, Borah, Hadley, De-
neen and Johnson announce a desire
! to confer with reference to a new
political party, 1t will then be time
enough to take the matter seriously.
Until such men do announce such a
purpose. it may be set down that Mr..
Roosevelt by himself cannot inaugu-
rate the movement, even If he has any
such intention, which those who have
watched him most closely In the past
will most seriously doubt.