The Mankato free press., 1912-07-19
WOULD SPLIT PARTY,
THUS SATISFY GREED

MlluSdpOllS lTlUuue. SOlOHol
Roosevelt likes the game of heads
l win, tails you lose. He has been
playing it in politics all his life.
Destiny has favored him with bets
on a sure thing in running for Of
flee. The bosses he belabors now
made him governor and vice presi-
dent, and the powers he denounces
when used for Taft made him presi-
dent.
He is a spoiled child of fortune.
He never had a fight for anything,
except with SIMPSONS weapon, from
the hill that wasn't San Juan till
the campaign of 1910, and every
body remembers what happened
then Still he favors the sure thing
bet, the game of heads / win, tails
you lose.
During the Chicago convention the
Taft managers proposed to the
Roosevelt managers that both should
withdraw, and unite on some sane
progressive like Hadley or Cum
Minis. This was done avowedly in
the interest of the republican party,
which the Taft managers put above
the interest Or ambition of any man.
The Roosevelt managers were in
clined to consider the proposal, but
the colonel turned it down fiat Ne
wanted the nomination for himself.
If he couldn't get it, he wanted the
party divided and beaten.
There is nothing to do but go on
and nominate Taft as Roosevelt
nominated him in 1908, and as he
nominated himself in 1904. If this
forebodes republican defeat, and loss
of jobs by thousands, the colonel
did it.
Now he is sorry, Or at least the
supporters who see no fruitage of
jobs for any republican are sorry
The Roosevelt people who want jobs
and the Taft people who fear to
lose jobs have gotten together on a
new compromise proposal. The
president is to resign as candl.
date, the colonel is to abandon his
third party movement, and the ma.
tional committee, now considered
the property of the colonel, is to
name some other progressive.
Taken seriously, this would De
absurdly futile. The time for a
compromise is when the battle Is
drawn, not when one side has won
Invitation to compromise then from
the beaten side, stirs mirth. Yet
there is grain of seriousness in
the proposal. 1t is what the French
call a trial balloon, sent up to test
the drift of public feeling.
1t is undeniable that the Taft
federal office holders are scared
half out of their wits for fear they
will lose their jobs by his defeat
He has done his best to protect
them by civil service extension, but
they measure the hunger of more
triumphant enemy by their own
when they came in and fear the
worst.
They and the Roosevelt men who
want jobs and are ready to desert
him in fear that he never will be
in position to hand them out may
go into the business of circulating
petitions, and it is notorious that
the American people will sign any.
thing.
But it is doubtful if the movement
will get the real attention of the
great mass of jobless citizens, who
would rather meet defeat with their
chosen leader, whether Taft OF
Roosevelt, than to trade off loyalty
for success.
One difficulty, about this form OF
compromise we approach with Ger.
tain delicacy, perhaps uncalled for
The compromise would be barren
unless Colonel Roosevelt adhered to
it and continued to adhere to it.
Now he is so deeply convinced of
the inerrancy of his impulses, sc
devoutly certain of the infallibility
of his inclinations, that no past utter
ance or agreement binds him in
the presence of new revelation.
1t would make things awkward,
II in the midst of a campaign of the
united party to elect some sane
progressive like Cummins of Had.
ley, Colonel Roosevelt should look
into the depths. of his mind and
discover that the republican candi.
date had secretly sold himself to
the crooked bosses and grafting
politicians who did not rally to his
own standard before the conven.
ton.
This would be no more remark.
able than his change of view about
running for third term In deal.
ing with men in; the higher sphere
whether of riches or power, it is
necessary to orecast the aber-
RANGES of genius