Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-20
otistical assumptions.

The New York Journal of Com.
mercc declares that there is danger
that the significance Of Ro0sevelt's un-
expected sweep of two great states
may be overrated and misinterpreted
at raises the mDmentenous ques-
tion." declares this paper, "of what
the ex-president is really driving at
and what he is most likely to accom-
plish.
Gle is evidently disrnpting the
Republican party" declares this au-
thority, whether he means it or not -
a result which we, in this latitude, no
matter how much we may disapproye
of Roosevelt, can survey with quiet
complaceRcy. The views of the great
trade journal are interesting, and are
clear given in the following:
1t is not conceivable that he should
get the nomination at Chicago for a
third term for himself, or that he
could be elected even if he was to car
ry the convention that he might de-
feat the denomination of President
Taft, nor by depriving him of the pref
crcncc of a majority of the delegates,
but by so dividing the party as to
make them fear he could not be cleo
ted and to force a compromise upon
some third candidate. We hardly
think that is the deliberate purpose
.of Mr.. Roosevelt in keeping up his
fight for the nomination. 1t seems
more likely that in his clossal egotism
and towering ambition he is dcludcG
with the idea that he can seize the
nomination and sweep the country at
tho election, in spite of the tradition
against a third term for any man and
Tho aversion which his recent course
has bcgottcn in the minds Of the most
sober and thinking men. 1t is not in
conceivable that he may even think nc
is doing the greatest service to the
country as the only living man who
can save it from what he regards as
disastrous tendencies.
But VIC arc considering what he is
doing and not what he thinks he is
doing, under the influence of mix
turc of motives in which the selfish
is strangely mingled with the patriot
ic. 1t seems to US clear that the doc
Lrincs of policies that he has been ad-
yocating have little TO do with his OBJ
tanning delegates in any state, least
all in either Illinois or Pennsylvania,
and VIC have no odubt that great
mjority of the Republican party is OPP
posed to that obstructive innovations
and vagaries." Nor do we believe that
tho magnetic personality Of Roosevelt
or his stirring appeal to pupuiar pas
sion have had any decisive effect in
securing delegates. What has done
it far more than anything else is his
appearing OPPORTUNITY as the one con
spicious leader in the revolt against
machine methods in controlling the
choice of delegates and the action of
nominating conventions. TO this is
mainly, if not soely, due the success
of his movement" in Illinois and
Pennsylvania. In the former state
tho Republican vote at the primaries
was large and the Roosevelt MAORI
ty sweeping on account of the resent
mcnt and wrath exclaimed by the Lori
MGR scandal and it's results. In Penn
sylvania the vote was light and was
affected lrgely by sullen abstcntion
from taking part in the primaries on
account Of tho continued domination
of tho machine methods inherited
from Cameron and Quay. This revolt
of votes against the methods which
have gone so far toward depriving
them of voice in, nominations is in
itself wholesome thing. If the ex-
president had led movement in it
without mixing with his own over
widening aspiration for power and
his unworthy scheme for obtaining it,
he might have performed a great
service to-his party and to the country