The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-29
Tired Of Politics.

+ !!
dent Taft told some of his callers to-
day that he did not feel it was up to
him to undertake to reorganize and
rehabilitate the republican party.
The president made it clear that he
was willing at times to make speeches
and to help keep the party to consti-
tutional lines, but he has no intention
of leading rehabilitation movement.
The impression has got abroad that
the president intends to set a reor-
ganization movement on foot with the
object of heading off the attempts of
the progressive republicans to control
the party The president does not
intend to assume leadership in an eff
fort of this kind. He told callers to-
/ day he intended to devote most of his
attention to law and not politics.
What this is taken to mean here is
that President Taft is tired of the
political game. He was dragged into
politics in the first place against his
will He made no secret of the fact
that he preferred a place on the SUI
preme bench to the presidency, but
other influences prevailed and hs
was drawn into politics. Now, he is
going back to the law and stick to 1t,
and while he will undoubtedly be
heard from from time to time, adjur-
ing the country to stick to the consti-
| tuition and not depart f-om the old
paths of the republican party, he is
not going out and beaa the tontoms
and try to keep himself in the public
eye as political figure and the
leader Of the old guard republics.
Much has been heard about Wash.
ington lately to the effect that Presi-
dent Taft had only to wait and that
his vindication would come, and that
in 1916 he would loom up as the
strong man for the republican party;
that the nomination would again
tcome to him, and that he would then
Ibe far stronger In the eyes OF the
country than in the recent election
[ Some of the friends of the president
, have cherished this hope, and will, nc
J doubt, continue to cherish it. But
n
such Illusion. Apparently, he feels
that he stands small show OF remain
Ing in the public eye as political
leader after he retires from the presl
den y, and he is going to act accord
ingly and devote himself to the work
which, after all, has been his life
work, and is the activity which more
: than any other, appeals to him, name
ly, the law.
1t is not unlikely the president re
members that BENJAMIN Harrison, ar
ter leaving the presidency, practicet
law with success. and was highly hon
ored as member IF the har Mr.
: Harrison withstood all temptations tt
reenter political life, and was prob
/! ably the gamer by it in more ways
than one
+ President Taft seemingly Is awar,
of the fact that it would be utterl,
out of the question for him to lead
S reorganization movement which
e would appeal to the progressive re
e publicans For him to attempt thi
e WOulu ne IKE lCu lag II
the face of bull. This would be 81
|, very way not to achieve the reha1bili
e talon Of the republican party. It i
zone hing to issue statements o
3 views Or make speeches from time t,
II time as the president will do, and ar
. other thing to try to assume activ
Leadership. For he president to tr
y to lead the republican party furthe
: would be to make himself the large
y for bricks from all directions froI
the progressive republicans of nj
2 party and probably from many of tn
: Old Guard.
= The disclosure of the position of tn
president tends 20 throw light o
. what is in fact the attitude of man
. republicans of prominence without r,
gard to faction. This is to wait an
o see what the democrats are going !
!. do and whether the Wilson admins
9 tration is going to please the progret
sive spirit of the country or disal
a point it.