The Washington herald., 1912-10-27
THE POLITICAL SITUATION

lHE POLIllCAL SllUAlION
The Republican managers continue
to fight bravely, but they are battling
against tremendous odds. 1t is only
necessary to survey the whole United
States-to see rival Republican ma
tional, Congressional, and local tickets
in every State-in order to appreciate
the appropriateness of the ancient
maxim concerning the house which is
divided against itself Woodrow VIII
son remains, as he has been from the
first, the beneficiary of situation. He
is not adding to his following; he is
not stirring the country with bold and
original declarations. He is simply
pursuing the even tenor of his way,
with an occasional academic speech
which pleases the highbrows and does
not get anywhere with the people. AT
the same time, his friends stand pat
and simply ask the question, How can
he loSe?"
OF course. it is not impossible for
him to lose; and he is nearer losing
to-day than he has been at any time
since he was nominated. When he was
selected as the Democratic candidate
.for President and Mr. Roosevelt then
entered the Presidential race, there
were many who were willing to assert
their belief that Roosevelt would carry
at least half dozen States Since that
time there has been a great change in
the political situation. The outlook
now is that Roosevelt will hardly carry
single State. much less can he be
elected His most ardent adherents
Sare now beginning TO realize what i'm
partial and experienced observers long
ago foresaw-that Mr. Roosevelt at
the head OF boiling organization is
a different person from Mr.. Roosevelt
as Republican seeking the Presiden-
tial nomination from his party. His
so-calIed Progressive party has disin-
tegrated. One by one his former
prominent supporters have fallen away
from him-Gov. Hadley of Missouri,
Gov. Deneen of Illinois, Ormsby Nc
Harg. Frank B. Kellogg, Senator Bo-
rah, former National Committeeman
Ward, OF New York; former Gov.
Stokes of New Jersey, and score of
others What is true of the leaders is
true of the rank and file. In every
township and in every county the polls
to-day show that Republicans every
where and in large numbers are re-
turning to the ranks.
1t is this closing up of the Repub-
lican party that gives the Republican
managers some encouragement. They
must realize, however, that the gap is
wide and forbidding There is Bit
terness between the factions that equals
the situation in the Democratic party in
1896. This is the reason why in Cali
fornia thousands of Republicans openly
announce that they are going to vote
for Wilson so that Roosevelt shall not
carry the State, and it explains the
similar attitude of 1900 Republicans
in South Dakota. 1t also explains why
one of the most perplexing problems
which has confronted the Republicans
is the fact that in every State very
large proportion of the Republicans
openly declared that they would vote
for Wilson in order to bury Roosevelt
out of sight.
The situation has become slightly
less complicated for the Republicans,
because now it is apparent that Roose-
welt cannot possibly win, and that a
vote cast for him is not only wasted,
but aids in the election of the Demo-
cratic candidate. This brings the Re-
publicans face to face with the fact
that the fight is a square contest be
tween Taft and Wilson. There are
many Republicans who were honestly
for Roosevelt, but who balk at the
idea of aiding a Democratic admins
tration into power These men are
now discarding their Moose buttons
and returning to their old allegiance.
This is one of the factors in the Taft
sentiment which is sweeping over the
country Another factor is the real
scare which is now being experienced
as the prospect of a radical change in
the tariff becomes more and more GER
tain
The change for Taft has come, but
it is an eleventh hour arrival. With
only ten days to elapse before the eaec-
ton, it seems strange that the Repub-
licans throughout the country are just
waking up to realization of what is
almost certain to happen. The national
headquarters at New York and Chicago
are being deluged with requests for
literature and speakers Everybody
ssanka oVarvthin3 NJ once Tho hosi.