Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-05
Lineup of Parties
Democratic Survey of the
Progress Of the Battle for
the Presidential Nomination
Harper's Weekly (dem1.

HaTper's Weekly (dem.).
Readers Of this journal are aware that
from the beginning Of the year We have
held fast to the opinion that Roosevelt
would unwittingiy soIldify the great body
Of republicans behind Taft. and so make
the president a formidable candidate at
the polls Democrats who were disposed
to make light Of our warning to that ef-
feet uttered months ago will hardly deny
that this anticipation is now being real
lied. Roosevelts extreme proposals
have served only TO draw attention
to the good rather than the Ill of the
Taft administration. and to make for a
contrast in republican minds which has
Injured greatly to the presidents benefit.
Roosevelt has done what Taft himself
was powerless to do. He has scotched
the insurgent movement by discrediting
II. He has driven back into the ranks
fully a million Of the dissatisfied re-
publicans who had nearly. II not quite,
reached the conclusion that a party de-
feat would have q salutary effect. By
snatching the progressive" banner from
La Toilette and bearing 1t far into the
camp of the rsnkest populism he has rem
dered nugatory the efforts OF the men
like cummins to upset the old order and
re-established the republican party upon a
broader and fairer basis. The lines are
already being drawn as tightly as ever
they were around the great body Of re-
publican voters, and the party will enter
the campaign with old-time determination
to win upon the principles, backed by
potent financial aid. which so many times
have been condemned In June, only to be
approved in November.
That Roosevelt will continue to do all
in his power to revive the old break with
In the party or to make a new ruction
must be taken for granted. Indeed, 1t is
more than possible that. as time goes
on and his efforts to regain the assist
ance Of former friends prove unavailins,
leaving as his corporars guard only the
few disgruntled and mainly discredited
politicians who now surround him. he
will resort to measures yet more desper-
ate, II such he can imagine. His sole
purpose, as we have pointed out per-
sistently. and as people now, We sur
mise, are beginning TO believe, is not to
engage himself in q losing battle. but
to beat Taft-that and nothing else. Al
ready his mouthpieces are beginning ~
dwell significantly upon the irreeoncila-
bility Of the Taft and Roosevelt forces,
and to hint at the desirability Of select
ing compromise" candidate, upon
whom all can unite.
But they reckon without their host.
President Taft Is fully cognizant Of both
the scheming and the intent, and cannot
be frightened into the doing of an act
Of self-repudiation. He has made 1t per-
fectly clear. moreover, that this is not
his fight. Not he personally. but the
established usage OF his party in accord
ing a president a second term. is under
guerrilla fire. His own record must
stand for what II Is, and his sole obliga-
ton In the premises is to see to it that
the record itself be not misrepresented.
This he Is doing and doing well II re-
mains only for the republican party to
decide whether President Taft's perfor-
nance has been SO wretched as to make 1t
necessary to assume the tremendous risk
Of smashing a party custom which hlther-
to has been considered inviolable.