The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-18
MY, ~ What a contrastI


We confess to a liking for men
with positive and outspoken conyic-
tons like Estey and Mead, who were
willing to go 10 the national conven-
ton as Taft delegates or to stay at
home. Page and Lewis were Taft
men but they were willing to be
Roosevelt delegates if the majority
ferences. Phoenix.
Were they not all republicans?
And were they not all republican
delegates to go to a republican ma
tional convention to nominate a
republican candidate for president?
Is it not usual to go into caucus
to name one out of several candi-
dates for the Office? How could
party stay together If it was for
hidden for its members to make
choice among candidates for dele
gates, or office?
To come to the exact and existing
case. Where does the right or the
wrong, the honor or the disgrace,
the courage or the cowardice, the
outspoken or the concealed-who
was deserving of praise and who
censure?
The fact is, that there was neither
right nor wrong. One had as much
right to seek delegates in Vermont
as the other. Neither Mr.. Taft nor
Mr.. Roosevelt could forcbly ex-
clude the other Both men are re-
publicans, have long been republi-
cans and have held high office as
republicans. There was no treason
to the party when they sought to
secure delegates in Vermont for the
Chicago convention. Mr.. Taft was
within his rights; so was Mr. Roose-
welt.
If there was any offence on Mr..
Roosevelts part it was only against
individuals, not the party. The
Taft men and newspapers resented
the excursion of the Roosevelt men
into Vermont Some Of the news
papers-rather too narrow minded
we think-seemed TO feel that it was
party treason In fact some papers
went so far as to exclude the Roose-
welt political advertising from their
columns. Roosevelt was called some
very hard names and received severe
condemnation. This newspaper con
demned him for his attitude towards
Mr.. Taft; and for his haste in re
pudiating his own words 1t seem
ed to us that he had abandoned his
own ethics, changed his attitude
toward Mr.. Taft without good rea
son. and forgot his pet phrase, "Tht
Square Deal" Without. going into
detail the News believes that Mr.
Roosevelt has wronged Mr. Taft anC
the Republican party and has
lowered himself in the estimation o
many people The wrong to the re
publican party, next to himself, Il
the greatest wrong 1t was bat
judgment on his part, yet he wa
within his rights in seeking thu
nomination. The right thing at tn
moment. however, is every often no
the wise thing
Col Roosevelt Is still republ
can: and men in this state may &C
cept the honor Of going to Chicag
TO vote for him. II all lies with IN
party II the voters have defnit
instructions, they, if men of honor
must obey or renounce the Office O
the party II there are no dehnit
instructions the delegates are free t
r. vote for any republican.
In the case in point Messri
Page and Lewis have freedom {
vote as they judge to be for the bes
n interest of the party. II is a narro'
y view for a man to say that he wi
go as a delegate for Taft but to sta
at home~if for Roosevelt We cal
not comprehend that attitude, b.
cause under certain conditions
would defeat the party In OF
opinion the attitude of Page an
Lewis is the wise attitude. The
were not pledged for the convention
= and they can go there TO act wise
under all conditions at the time =
Burlington News.