St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-02-07


that as soon as a railroad is built to
the asbestos region, business will
develop just as it did in Barre, as
serting that there we're just as
many scoffers and unbelievers in
Barre in those days as there are in
this field Where are they today?
Dead and gone" We beg to amend
by declaring that while some of them
may be dead and gone, no small
number are enjoying the pleasures
of a competence which came to them
through no particular efforts of
their own and because of no exer-
ton of their own to speak of. Per-
haps it may be the same in the vi
cinity of Eden mountain in Lamoille
county, where really fine asbestos is
being taken out in considerable
quantities and where the output
would undoubtedly be increased if
the railroad we're to be built to the
region, as the contemporary hopes
for The magnitude of the asbestos
deposit and the quality of it seem to
assure that sooner or later there will
be a railroad to Eden mountain. We
/ hope it will be sooner, for the good
of Vermonts Industrial and com
mercial life.-[ Barre Times.
Taft's Political Prospects.
In his Ohio speeches President
Taft has sounded an aggressive
note that is urgently needed in the
republican party at the present
time. In his Cleveland speech he
pointed out the fact that republican
defeat in 1910 was not due to an
increase in Democratic votes but to
a detection of republican votes.
The situation at the present time
is not that the democratic party sud-
denly has become more powerful
through largely increased num-
bers but that the republican party
is weakened on account of dissen-
sions.
At the present time there is
spirit or restlessness and of radi-
calism abroad in the land. It is felt
in both political parties but thus far
the republican radicals have made
more noise than the democratic rad
icals. President Taft is neither a
standpatter nor an insurgent but the
insurgent element has shamefully
misrepresented the presidents atti-
tude. The presidents friends may
well challenge their opponents to
produce any valid reasons for a re-
fusal to support Taft.
In a recent issue the Democrat
ic New York World, often opposed
to the President, says:
During the first nine months of
1864 all the anti-administration re-
publicans in the United States were
sure that Abraham Lincoln could not
be reelected president.
1.-THE opposition to Lincoln's re-
nomination was as strong and well
organized as the opposition to
Taft's denomination.
''His own cabinet was disloyal,
Salmon P Chase, his secretary of
the treasury, was intriguing for the
presidency. The western radicals
wanted Fremont, precisely as the
western radicals today are screaming
for Roosevelt Thad Stevens, who
was the republican leader of the
House, was strongly opposed to
Lincoln. Greeley, Wade and Davis
were against him because they be-
lieved he would be defeated and that
the election of a democratic presi-
dent would mean national disaster
Wendell Phillips wanted a states
man and a patriot in place of Lin
coin.
''The New York Herald had sug-
gested Grants nomination and there
was a strong sentiment in favor Of
the hero of Vicksburg. A mass
meeting of the Fremont of faction of
Lincoln's opponents was held in
Cleveland the week before the Bal
timore convention. Its attitude
toward Lincoln was similar to the
attitude of the Roosevelt Progress !
sive' republicans toward Taft.
Gwen after Lincoln was renomin- |
ated his campaign managers regard
ed defeat as probable. Lincoln him
self shared their fears. As late as
Aug. %, 1864, he gave a sealed |
memorandum to Secretary Welles
which read as follows;
's'This morning, as for some days
past, it seems exceedingly probable
that this administration will not be
reelected. Then it will be my duty |
to cooperate with the president
elect so as to save the Union be-
tween the election and the Inaugural |
ton, as he will have secured his /
election on such grounds that he /
cannot possibly save it afterward.'
''Yet in spite of all this despon-
dency Lincoln polled 2,216,067 votes
to McClellan's 1,S07,725 and had
212 electoral votes to Mcclellan s
81
william H. Taft is not another
Abraham Lincoln and 1912 is not
1864, but it is easily possible that
the anti-Taft politicians of this gen
Grafton may be no better prophets
than the anti-Lincoln politicians of
4 preceding generation. Taft, like
Lincoln, may be much stronger than
be seems. Politics is full of sur
Drises.'
This comparison is timely and
valuable. Taft has to his credit a
record of constructive
craftsmanship. His administration
must be the chief issue of the cam
oaign of 1912. Failure to renomin-
tie him will be a confession of
weakness, plea of guilty to the
charges of the opposition. If repub-
leans will cease their lugubrious
and rally to the support
! IL