The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-02-22
TAFT FEARS PLATFORM
. MAY ECHO 7. R. IDEAS
Would Not Run If Convention
We're to Adopt Recall
of Judges
NO COMMENT ON SPEECH
Washington Believes Colonel Has Sup
planted La Toilette as Radi-
cal Leader.

WARRINGTON. Feb. 2l.-Col. Roosevelts
speech at Columbus was read with intense
interest at the White House and by Re-
publicans generally in Washington.
The Presidents political advisers were
more deeply concerned over the effect Of
the radical Roosevelt propa ganda on the
Republican national platform to be
draughted at the Chicago convention
than they were over the Colonels per-
sonal boom for denomination. The Taft
forces feel confident they can renominate
the President. but they are alarmed over
the concessions they may be obliged to
make in the national platform to obtain
support from the progressive wing Of
the party.
All of the ideas advanced by Col. Roose-
welt on the initiative and referendum,
and especially on the recall Of judicial
decisions and judges themselves. are alb
horrent to President Taft. At the White
House no comment was made on the
Colonel's speech. but Mr.. Taft's deep
concern over the possibility Of any Of
! these newfangled notions creeping into
the Republican national platform is we'll
known TO his advisers. So deeply does
the President feel on the question of the
recall Of the judiciary that he will decline
to accept a denomination for the Presi-
dency rather than stand on a platform
which contains such a plank.
Now that Col. Roosevelt's long awaited
speech has been delivered the Presidents
political advisers are confident that the
coming campaign is to be one in which
the lines between radicalsm and con-
servatism are to be as sharply drawn as
they were in the famous 1890 free silver
campaign. If President Taft is renomi-
mated the Democrats. in the opinion of
the Presidents political advisers, will
name iether Woodrow Wilson or Champ
Clark on a platform containing all Of the
ideas advanced by Roosevelt in his speech.
In that event the President and his
followers expect to see the business
interests and the thinking people of the
country rally to Taft's support as they
did to the support of Mckinley in the two
campaigns against Bryan.
For several days intimations have been
handed out in Washington that Roose-
velt's speech would be radical. Everybody
acknowledges that these intimations were
justified. Some Of the more conservative
among the progressive Republicans. the
near insurgents as they are called. are
frankly disappointed over the Colonels
advocacy Of the recall Of judicial decisions
They try to make a good face over it and
to accept the speech as a whole because
OF the many other things the Colonel
uttered dear to the prog ressive heart.
ARood many people have tried TO figure
now Senator Borah Of Idaho will be able
to support the Colonel on his speech.
in view of the fact that Senator Borah
himself is on record in the strongest
terms against the rec all Of the judiciary.
Some Of Senator La Follette's ardent
admirers declared the Colonel had not
only kidnapped the La Toilette boom.
but also had made away with the Wis
consin stateman's platform, built up
through many years of laborious political
| toll.
Il am delighted with the speech said
Senator Moses r. Clapp. one Of the most
progressive and militant Of the Repubi-
can insurgents.
1T is a radical speech said Senator
Bristow but it is just what We desire
and it will he popular with the progress
sives."
Even some of the radical Democrats
had good word for the Colonel's utter
ances.
at was a delightful surprise to me,
and Of course approve IT,, was the COM
ment Of Senator Chamberlain. Democrat.
of Oregon.
Even the Republican regulars were
Senat or Lodge finds himself. The Senator
is one of Col Roosevelt s warmest friends
and most ardent admirers. But Senator
.odge himself Is on record as describing
the very propoeit ions advanced by Roose-
welt as blows s,ruck at the very heart
Of the Constitution.
Senator Lodge was one OF the first men
in Congress to read Roosevalt's printed
speech. He sent page out TO get noon
edition of the newspapers, and sat during
the proceedings OF the Senate intently
reading the Colonel's utterances. The
swinging his foot backward and forward.
a certain index that Mr.. Lodge is thinking
rapidly and seriously.
The immediate effect OF the Roosevelt
speech is to bring every one OF the pro-
| gressive Republicans who have been fol-
lowing Senator la Follettes leadership
into line for Roosevelt. He is admittedly
the leader of the progressive Republican
movement from now on. The political
observers say the Colonel seized the colors
Of the insurgent Republican column as
they fell from the hands OF La Toilette.
But the question most frequently asked
by conservative Republicans was:
docs the speech reflect Republican
principles?'
The reply in most instances is that it
does not.
| President Taft's friends are mex
pressibly pleased by the character of the
speech so far as it will affect the Colonel
as a political adversary. They believe
il is so radical in character that II will
make Col. Roosevelt unavailable as the