The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-17
TIME FOR CANCELLATION.


suffered a tremendous defeat by rea
son Of the extremes TO which partisan
ship and personal ambition were
pushed. What has been done cannot
be undonc. but 1t is certainly the part
Of wisdom and constructive politics
for the party leaders to take such
steps as will bring together the two
factions, eliminating the personal ami
mosties and ambitions that led to the
split. Indeed, a beginning IN this good
work has been reported Colonel Roose-
welt cannot possibly expect to figure
any more in Republican politics; and
without him, there is nothing left OF
the Progressive party that cannot
easily be adjusted to Republican poll
cieS. Republican traditions, and Re"
publican advancement We have CON
demned the act of the Progressive
committee in New York which con-
temptuously rejected overtures from
the Republican committee of that State
for a reunion of the two factions of
the Republican party. For, eliminat-
| of his vagaries as having nothing to
do with real politics or practical gov
ernment, there are no differences be-
tween the two wings OF the party
that cannot easily and fairly be ad-
justed. We consider that any factIous
outcry or recrimination on the part
of either wing Of the party with re-
| spcct to the other is not only exceed
ingly bad taste, but exceedingly bad
| policy, and detestable politics. An
tagonisms Of that kind simply tend TO
make reunion more difficult, and per
haps TO postpone it indefinitely. As
We have said heretofore, we consider
| that the Progresslves (aside from
Roosevelt) deserve we'll OF the Repub-
lican party, as striving to lead it for
ward, as against the standpatters, who
were determined either to stand still
or 20 backward. The two elements of
the party can easily fuse, and ought
to fuse; but they cannot fuse if there
is constant irritation kept up and
continued attacks on party leaders.
cept to keep alive acrimony, that ought
TO be allayed.
Accordingly, we do not find any
words too severe to condemn the edi-
torial in the Smoot organ of this city
yesterday against Senator Borab of
Idaho, claiming that he sis reaping
just as he sowed. That editorial is
as follows:
Senator Borah OF Idaho seems 10 be
reaping just harvest from the seed
sown by himself at the outset of the
his strictly impartial attitude OF support
ing neither Mr.. Roosevelt nor MIR raft.
ono could but guess at his motives. but
the inevitable results forecasted them
neither Bull Moose nor Republicans
would be pleased at his position and
that he who would endeavor 10 ride two
horses risks falling between them and
spraining his political ankle. And the
news from Idaho indicates that both the
Taft and Roosevelt men in the lcgisla
laturc will reqsIre powerful arguments
before they viii consent to join issues and
support MI Borah for re-eiection,
That editorial loses sight altogether
Of the Republican party. and of tho
principles upon which 1t was founded,
Every Republican will agree in gen
eral way and ought to agree, that the
party is greater than any man in it
or than any combination within itself.
1t is altogether unreasonable, there
fore, to stake the fortunes of the Re-
publican party upon President Taft, al
though he is a grand Republican. On
the other hand, ii is an impossible
proposition TO place the permanent for
tunes Of either faction Of the party
upon Colonel Roosevelt, That sort of
thing is personal politics, and not poll
tics OF principle,
But what is wanted Just now is a
return to principle, leaving aside the
personal equation as much as possible,
and especially to leave aside irrita-
tions founded upon personal animosi-
ties and personal vindictiveness. There
is no reason why any Republican
should resent the course Of Senator
Borah. As we understand his position,
he planted himself souarely upon Re
publican party principles, declining to
bind himself to any individual, no mat
ter now high or how vebemently the
cause Of that person was advocated.
Senator Borah s allegiance to Repub
licanism has never been seriously ques
toned, and cannot honestly be ques
toned. But he declined TO commit him
self TO the fortunes Of any individual,
which is merely to say that he con-
sdcred Republicanism and Republican
party principles as having greater de.
mand upon his allegiance than the per-
sonal cause of any man, even though
he was the nominee Of the party. We
consider that it was Senator Borah y
duty as a Republican To support Pres