Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-04-26
REPUBLICAN CRISIS.

Recent political developments in
connection with the fight for the
Republican presidential nomination,
has caused a widespread belief that
success for the party in the Novem-
ber elections demands that a dark
horse" be nominated at the Chicago
convention. Just now the party is
torn by dssensions. A large portion
of it has divorced itself from former
leaders and has sought new and un-
tried fields. Friends of former Pres
ident Roosevelt are bitter in their at
tacks on President Taft, while the
same is true obversey. There is no
denying the future outlook for the
party at this time and it will require
brains and wise counsel to steer the
organization away from the breakers
that Ioom in the distance. But the
Republican party has faced crlsises
heretofore and has generally met
them. and solved perplexing prob
lens with credit to itself and the
good of the country, and The OBJ
server believes that it will do so
again.
But the position that an unnamed
aspirant should be chosen as a can
didate is forcing itself more and
more upon the party managers and
the people generally as time passes
As matters now stand President
Taft can probably he nominated at
-, 4
majority of the delegates so far Sc
lected and will probably secure
enough more to make his selection
assured, or nearly So But a large
number of those delegates come from
the Southern states which do not
contribute single vote to the elect
oral college In some Of the states.
where presidential preference prma-
rics have been held, Roosevelt has
succeeded in securing the majority of
the delegates, while in those domin-
atcd by the convention system and
held under the sway of the party
machine, the President has been sue
cessful
Should the unlocked for happen, .
and Roosevelt secure the nomination. f.
il is certain that large numbers of
Tart supporters would not east their
ballots for him in the November .
elections. He has gained the enmty
of the "standpatters" among whom
are thousands of his former friends.
because of his action in entering the
present campaign in face of his eX-
pressed determination not to do so.
he viii be opposed on the third term
idea by thousands who do not believe
in overthrowing established precedent
or the DiaZization of the United
states, and he will be opposed by vet
others who cannot affirm his extreme
radicalism as outlined in the policies
he has recently declared he will sup
port. lie would also hc uunosed by
the original progressivcs who are sup
porters of senator LaFollette. because
they believe that their candidate
would have been successful had the
former president kept out of the
fight I'm the face of al this oppo-
sition, then, IL is highly improbable
that Roosevelt could be elected. or at
least that the fight for his success
would hc a hard one, In the event
that the Democratic party should
take advantage of the opportunity
and nominate progressive condi-
date.
Roosevelt is distastefm to very
large number Of President Tafts I
supporters because they see i'm him q
a disturher In the ranks of the party =
Not satisfied with the course OF the q
party since ne rclinqushed the office d
NJ chief executive, he has bent every
'nergy Co establish himself as the
dictator of IFS dcstinies. and insists s.
that his own ideas should be accept d
sd without question by his party co. y
lorts. lf they are not 50 received
he then proposes Co see that they
IRE enforced by taking the bit in his
ecth. SO % speak. and proclaiminr al
himself as the only man who can cI
ave the people from themselves. L.
'his element in the Republican party p.
10 not believe that Roosevelt Is sin- cl
ere In his fght. hut are confident
hat an all-ahsorbing political amhi-
ion has Influenced him. In short. al
e is a fallen idol and they win have J,
o more of him. |w
Confident On the wisdom and the VI
ood sense of the rank and rIc of ID
be- party. we believe that the issue
.n be sQuarciy and manfully met
nd that wise counsel viii dominate
be- coming national convention. As OF
sdts good citizens and Representa- bl
YES of the principles of the only nc
lrty whose teachings we believe viii sir
'ntiuuC che prosperous onward gi'