The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-09
WHAT OF THE FUTURE?

party, The split in the party was It's
ruin al the recent election. The ques-
tion is whether that split will continue
disable the efforts OF the Republican
leaders. The contemptuous refusal Of
the New York Progressives TWO days
after tho election, to afhliute with the
Republicans of that State ia a remind.
er Of the coutemptuousness shown for a
short time by the PopuIists toward the
Democratic party IT may be, of
course. that time will soften the asperi-
ties eneendered during the campaign /;
but it would be surprising indeed If
there should be enough of this soften
ing to bring the two wings of the party
together for some years TO come. 1t
looks now rs though the Progressive
party might play the same role toward
the Republican party that the Populist
party played toward the Democratic
party. II appeared for time that
Populism was going to sweep Democ.
National party. But the Democracy,
although to considerable degree sub.
merged in Populsm in 1896 and 1900,
has since those years been emerging
from the Populistic overflow,
| 1t is easy 10 conceive that Colonel
towards the Republican party precise
" the same role that judi PETER. Of
Kansas. PLAYED in behalf Of PopuIism
towards the Democracy, while Govern
or Hiram johnson OF California might
be its ''Socklcss Jerry The wounds
inflicted in the recent campaign arc
far more severe from each wing of the
Republican party upon the other wing
| than they arc upon the Democratic
party by either, the common enemy OF
both. It would be unreasonable, there
fore, to expect that these wounds can
he healed in any very rapid WAY, or
that the Roosevelt efforts are in the
least likely TO be restrained against
the Republican party henccforth. The
probability, indeed, is that he will keep
mp his warfare diligently and vindic-
lively. So far "a Colonel Roosevelt is
concerned he will, no doubt, consider
that President Taft is finally disposed
of politically. But in this he is liable
to mako great mistake; for President
Taft has conducted himself with dill
gence, fidelity and dignity in the pub
lie interests. He comes out OF the
campaign in far better shape than
Roosevelt does, although Roosevelt gets
a much larger number Of electoral
votes than Taft has received But
politically, Roosevelt has made himself
impossible so far as the Republican
party is concerned, and unless he can
hold together Progressive party suf-
fcient TO make himself a terror to the
Republican party, he is certainly done
for politically forever His only chance
is to hold up the Republican party for
a nomination, hoping it will accept
him, rather than fight him. In this.
though he will never succeed, for the
Republican party could not possibly
take Roosevelt for its candidate
and hold together during campaign.
Still, the hold that Roosevelt has on
a vast voting population in the United
States, especially in the North, is
thing not to be ignored That follow
iDg is not enough to give him the Pres
idency. 10 be sure; and any effort of
his TO gain that Office again must be
a. hopeless failure. Yet he is a for.
midable politician. and can do more
towards holding the Progressives to-
gether as foe to the Republican party
than any of the Populist leaders could
in holding the Popuhst party together
as foe to the Democrats Bryan
never fully yielded himself to the
Popuhstic idea; he never consented to
get out of the Democratic party;
therefore, his strength in that party
has never waned.
Colonel Roosevelt, however has per-
manently and contemptuously spurned
the Republican party; and, of course,
that party can have nothing more to
do with him. Whether he will be able
with his Progressive party to keep the
Republican party in submergence for
another Presidential election is the
question. 1t would not surprise US at
all to see him able 10 do this, but il is
practically assured that his Progressive
party will 90 on the same rocks, to
the same wreckage, that the Populisr
party went after impressing itself so
strongly upon Democratic policies.
But the Populist party was able to
entrench itself thus strongly upon the
Democracy by acting with il to a very
large extent. Colonel Roosevelt has
taken the opposite course. and has
chosen to fight the Republican party.
We believe. therefore, that his effort
to emulate through his Progressive par.
ty toward the Republican party. the
same impressive force that the Popu.
hstic party exerted toward the Demo
cratic party, will be failure. And yet
il appears 20 be certain that he is not
only ready to undertake this task,
but determined 10 pursue it to the bit
ter end That end while II muv hn