The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-21
THIRD TERM WILL
DEFEAT HIM EVEN
He IS CANDIDATE
Not Only VIII T. r. Have to
Run Against Parties and
+" Factions But Tradi-
tons as Well
HE HAS BEEN GIVEN
THE RAWESTOF DEALS
BY THE CONVENTION
Alfred Henry Lewis Sees in
President Taft What COL
onel Failed to See When
He Forced Him on
Country
by ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.


CHICAGO. Juna 2o.-- Roosoy cit will
have no pleasant time before the peo-
pie, Ills candidacy Will be no bell
OF roses. True, he was rooeed in
rawest fashion. In the nstue of
Tar. and w,Il. Taft's colnivance and
consent. the pockets OF tbs hoose-
Welt chances wers picked Of roundly
eighty Delegates. Had Roosevelt re-
csived square deal, he would nave
besn ma med, He DID not get a square
deal and now VII ,,peai T., .Aa peo~
Tie.
But the Roosevelt trouble To come
lies here He has experienced moth
ing which one way or another he
has not practiced. He has been
handed his own medieine--the medi-
cine he gave the party and the
champions Of the party. when four
years ago he handed them Taft with
the threat-showing all hts teeth
IF you don't take him. you will take
me" They took him" under stress
Of that menace and now they have
used him" az a weapon--fat but in
formidable hands sufficiently deadly
IL destroy Roosevelt himself.
Nobody Wanted Taft.
When the circumstances come, all
to he considered. the popular sym
hiilows of it's expression, "run"--~-a
ray the saiicrs-''mountalns nigh"
Roosevelt In his troubles VIII excite
little or less fearful concern. AS
president he forgot his duty. forgot
the rights OF his White House eteva-
ton TO force Taft upon the party and
the people. Nobody except Roosevelt
wanted Taft but, employing every
political resource Of the White
House; exercising I'll the fufteEt sweep
every quality and power which marks
the boss, Roosevelt forced Taft down
the party's throat.
Roosevelt liked Taft for the very
qualities which most untitled him for
the post or president. The man whom
Roosevelt likes leart is the man who
dtsagrees with him most, Argument
however, sincerely honest, frets him.
Whatever the question at bay Roose-
welt is sure he Is right; and he never
fails to resent argument or opposition
As a merest waste OF his time. Root
MetcaIf and others In his cabinet
argued with Roosevelt. offended him
by positive. even II polite, opposition.
TAFT never did. sassy. fatty in
dolent. inert, resolute only to do moth
ing he could not do sitting down.
Taft either openly agreed with Roose-
Welt, or was silent IN a soothing way
and for this genius. for acquiescence.
Roosevelt, loved and exalted him.
Taft mirroreu back to Roosevelt
every feature Of his co-called policies
Roosevelt could see his face In Taft
ana hetteyed ne mad found his alter.
ego when he had but discovered his
own reflection. 1t was the most
natural thing In the world that once
Taft was elected, this Cannons and the
Aldrichs and the Roots should steal
hin, away from Roosevelt. Taft. shall
low. shiny, was born a looking glass
-nfsft.-R Roosevelt -hewitchei ami
delighted with those looking glass
characteristics.
Roosevelt should have remembered
that looking glasses are not cele-
brated for their loyalty and once he
was Off chasing lions. or lions ware
chasing him. some other face would
be reflected.
Tsft Not False.
Roosevelt should bear In patient II
tolerabie mind that Taft. In his far
outstretchings for presidency, never
misled him. Taft made no false pre-
lenses. Roosevelt full of force. vi
brant with energy. Is human steam
boat and meant to stem the currents
az his hour. The barge-like Taft can
onl~ sail down stream. Roosevelt had
he taken a sober look could have seen
all this Taft never told him that he.
Taft, was a steamboat. never blew
deceptive whistles, never rang delu-
sive bells. Broad OF beam and barge
like, he lay floating on his expectant
ropes. waiting for Roosevelt TO throw
him off and tow him to q presidency.
And Roosevelt did.
That Taft has disappointed Roose-
welt Is not 30 much Taft's as Roose-
velt's fault. To be what Roosevelt
thought he should be. Taft must have
passed nine-renths OF his life on his
feet. Nature intended no such aetiv-~
tiles In the Taftfan case. Nature de-
creed that Taft should be always
looking for chair--should In truth
put In nine-tenths OF his life sitting
down. Upon these POINTS OF a walrus-
like lethargy and gritty dtsinclina.
ton to travel very far from his own
little cake Of comfortable ice. Taft, IN
no wise fooled Roosevelt. Roosevelt
was fooled. truly: but in that blind
Continued IN Third raEe.l