Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1912-02-04

The Folk Candidacy.


The latest work Of Joseph Folk. of
Missouri, in his efforts to land the
presidential nomination are hardly 81
the kind To inspire the confidence of
the public. Mr.. Folk seems trying
10 climb To fame by tearing down the
support of Speaker Champ Clark: and
Mr.. Folk is not wise enough to know
that neither in business or politics has
anybody ever succeeded at that game.
The plan taken by this distinguished
statesman is to cast reflections on
the sincerity of his rival. He broad
j, intimates that Mr. Clark is sup
ported by the interests" which, in
IT, purview of Mr.. Folk. is a serious
offense, indeed. Then he goes on TO
say that Mr.. Bryan tried to solve the
situation in Missouri by suggesting a
divided delegation, and he adds the
naive statement that Mr.. Clark was
more responsible for the failure Of
that plan than was he. All Of which
is extremely interesting but not very
Illuminating.
But Mr. Folk is d sIperbly righteous
individual He lets it be known once
and for all that if he cannot be NOM
mated and elected as d progressive"
he doesn't want to be nominated and
elected at all. He says he would
rather lose the presidency than see
the progressive" principles. on which
he seems TO have some sort Of copy
right, go down.
Really, it seems that Mr.. Folk might
have saved himself all this worry.
There is not the slightest danger OF
his being nominated and elected as
progressive or anything else. Mr..
Folk is a very estimable man and it
is cheerfully conceded that he is a
thoroughly honest man. But there
his qualifications end. People who
know him and what he has done don't
take his candidacy seriously. He by
no means measures up to the Job
10 which he aspires. If by any chance
he should he elected president he
would be by all odds the smallest and
most poorly equipped man who ever
occupied the office. II IS a fact the
people of this country haven't al
ways chosen their presidents wisely;
but they are not in the habit of
choosing men of the Folk caliber
1t isn't The Republicans fight, int
it will do no harm to state a fact.
And the fact is this-there is abso-
lutely no way Of comparing Mr.. Folk
with Mr. Clark, to whom the former
governor has given slap. Clark is by
no means a wonder He has never
demonstrated any remarkable capac-
ity; but his grasp of public affairs
puts him far and away beyond the
school to which his rival belongs.
Then it is just trifle difficult to
take Mr.. Folks cheerful abnegatiOn
seriously. He says he wouldn't I'M
der any circumstances, accept the sup
port of the interests" that he would
rather not have the presidency at all
than get il at the price of such sup
port. There is no doubt that Mr..
Folk believes all that, bIt all the
same-wer. the presidency is pretty
big Job and if Mr.. Folk would reject
a certain kind Of support knowing
that il would elect him he is probably
the only man in the country who is |
so self-sacrificing.
Mr.. Folk may get the Missouri dele
CATION and if he does he will likely
get a few scattering votes from other
sections Of the country. But the fact
must be recognized that he has no
real strength and whatever support
he gets will be merely a compliment
ary support He is certain to get a
respectful hearing; and many news
papers will say pretty. complimentary
things about him; but when it comes
to the serious business of nominating
a candidate for president the demo-