Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-18
TAFT MEN ARE HOPEFUL
Trend of Sentiment Gives Much
Encouragement.
The President VIII Get Democratic
Votes which DO Not Go to Wilson
The Country Ia Becoming
More Conservative.

didate or platform in the field that ne
can approve, Senator Robert Marian La
Toilette Of Wisconsin Is expected to give
his attention strictly to saving loyal
congressman in his own State-to that and
seeing to IT. also. that Theodore Roose-
welt gets no electoral votes out OF Wis
consin. How far beyond tho confines OF
his own State the Badger senator Will
he able or willing to carry his crusade
against Roosevelt is not known. but It is
certain that the one thing on In Fol-
lete's mind, next to standing by his own
friends. 10 to make II impossible for
Roosevelt to come into power again.
The La Toilette men are particularly
bitter against Roosevelt for his announc
Cd purpose of using the electors already
named In some of the States as part
OF the Roosevelt campaign. They regard
1t as just MS dishonest for Roosevelt to
demand OF men elected as republicans
that they vote in the electoral college
for some man other than the republican
nominee. as 1t was for Taft to steal
the nomination at Chicago. Taft has the
right. they say. to demand Of these men
that they either pledge themselves to
vote for Taft II he carries their State or
that they resign and give place to men
who will stand by their pledges.
II think" said one OF the leading La
Toilette men to-day, that will organize
a new party OF my own. I will go into
the campaign with tho motto: whatsoever
Is a liar Is also thief That will cover
all the campaigns now going on, Roose-
velt's particularly"
REPUBLICANS MORE CHEERFUL.
The members of the republican nation
al committee who have been swelter-
ing here for several days will leave town
very we'll satisfied with their work.
Moreover, they are feeling much more
cheerful over the outlook than when they
came to Washington. They have a theory
as to what will happen in November and
have worked 1t out from knowledge of
preceding campaigns and of human ma
ture In general in way which thorough
ly satisfies their political sense.
Here Is my view Of the situation II
you want IT," said one of the best-known
politicians in the country in the lobby
of the Willard this afternoon. In the
| first place. no one cares anything about
the steal at Chicago. That cuts no real
figure in the campaign. 1t suits Roose-
velt's purposes to denounce It. although
We all know that 1t was exactly the same
thing he engineered In the same place
four Years ago, and 1t was not pleasing
TO some Of the gentlemen who were beat
en- and who in many cases were depending
on a Roosevelt victory to boost them
| along to some place where they wanted
to get. But for all practical purposes. as
far as affecting votes is concerned. the
ing. The people will cast their votes on
other considerations than that.
SOME DEMOCRATS FOR TAFT.
What will influence votes in November
will be the belief OF the people that a rea-
sonable conservatism Is the best and SAT-
est course for the country. Taft will
hold the conservative vote Of his own
party. of course. This means the vote
OF every man who IL in any business,
large or small. that promises 20 be dis
turbed or has been disturbed by the agi-
tation that has been going on Plenty Of
such men are to be found in the Demo-
cratic party also. and they will not he
| willing to take chances with either Will
son or Roosevelt. The votes that come
ont OF the Democratic party will not go
to Roosevelt; they will go to Taft. Will
son is flighty and fantastical enough 10
suit the radicals in the Democratic party.
and they would rather have a democrat
than republican in the White House.
especially when they distrust Roosevelt $
| radio alism and believe that much Of II
exists for campaigng purposes only
| The country will grow calmer and
less radical from now on. Enforcement
of the ANTITRUST law has raised rather
than reduced prices. as every man who
buys gasoline has found out. The to.
at least but the people have yet to learn
what they have got out OF II. The prices
Of industrial stocks appear to rise every
time tho administration goes after the
industry. and the prices OF tho articles
1t makes is increased. In other words
all this howl about swatting the trusts
gets nowhere. except with the lawyers
who receive big fees for trying the cases
Taft Is enforcing the law because It Is on
the books. but he has done more to con
vince the country Of the need Of new leg
islation to govern the trusts than Roose-
welt ever dreamed Of Roosevelt talked
and Taft drew a bill That Is the differ
ence In the two men. and the country is
coming to see 1t.
| THE country is naturally conservative
and the recent convention proceedings
| have been so riotous that the country Is
tired. This conservative vote will tend
naturally to drift to Taft. It can't &C
| any WherA else We can't vet toll With
| Just what response Roosevelt will meet
in his campaign for election but so far
his support appears to he limited to a
few men who are sore for reasons of
| their own"
Whatever may be thought Of this line
of argument as 1t applies to the presi-
dency. no one can dispute the serious
situation which republican candidates
will face IN the congressional and legts-
1ative districts II the Roosevelt men
carry out their purpose to split the party
down to tho small ends. Augustus r.
Gardner of Massa chusctts voiced this
fear In the statement given out by him
In Washington yesterday. According 10
Captain Gardner, the Republican party
Is sloughing of Its barnacles at the
wrong end and losing the live-w1re ele-
ment that 1t ought to retain to keep IT.
self In good FORM Admitting the truth
OF this criticism, the captain did not ga
far enough to point the way to reform or
to Indicate In any definite manner what
he would have the party do to b. saved.
According TO all indication. the next Con-
gress VIII be composed of three factions,
democratic, republican and progressive