The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-28
HOW 1T WAS DONE.
LaFOIlette Writes History of
the Roosevelt Campaign.
The Colonel Started the Boom
for Himself, He Says.
IMMENSE CAMPAIGN FUND
Then the Big Trusts Rallied to
His Support.
He Brought the Progressive
Cause Into DiSrepute.

Washington, June Ex-senator La
Toilette has written the following edi
torial in the current number of La
Follette's Weekly:
Until Roosevelt came into the OpeT
as a candidate for the presidency five
months ago, there was a strong anC
rapidly growing progressive movement
within the Republican party. 1t was
based upon clearly defined principles
1t stood forth as the representative OF
modern political thought on fundamen-
tai democracy. 1t had assumed ma
tional proportions. 1t was united.
Into this movement, when it gave
promise of national success, Roosevelt
projected his ambition to be presiden
a third time. He spent weeks careful
ly planning spontaneous cali for
himself. He responded by announcing
that he would be a receptive candidate
His candidacy began to drag. He and
his friends were in despair. Then
came his defeat in North Dakota. He
became desperate.
Enormous Campaign Fund.
AN enormous campaign fund was
raised. Headquarters were opened in
New York, Washington, Chicago and
states east and west. Newspaper writ
ers were engaged at large prices to
boom his candidacy. Special trains
were hired and the receptive candi-
date started in frantic pursuit of the
nomination. In the history of Ameri-
can politics there never has been in
a primary campaign for presidential
nomination an approach to the eXtrav-
agant expenditures made in his cam
paign. Men VIGOROUSLY identified with
the Steel trust and Harvester trust
became his most active supporters.
Leading reactionarieS Standpatters,
and political bosses of the Hanna and
Quay sort became his closest political
friends and representatives in many
states.
"A number of the newer recruits to
the Republican progressive cause, men,
who before 1909, with three or four
exceptions, had either been Indifferent
or opposed to the progressive move
ment became the noisest supporters
of Roosevelt the winner 1t matter
ed not to them that Roosevelt had CO.
operated with Aldrich on legislation
during the entire seven years he was
president They forgot that it was
only when Roosevelt was out of Office
and in Africa through the united eff
forts of men who for years mad been
fghting special interests that the pro-
gressive cause became a national
movement. That Roosevelt was for
Taft in 1910 when Taft was denounc- :
ing all progressives as pirates and
traitors that he waited until little
more than a year ago. balancing the
chances before deciding Whether 10
cast in his lot with the progressives
in this presidential years. counted for
nothing with the class of progressives
who wanted to 'win'-not a real pro-
gressive victory-just Ei5tory:
9"And they did win precisely that kiEd /
If victory They carried overwhelming
Il the great standpat states of Illinois ard |
That stamped the Roose-
yeIt candidacy with its true character:
10 real progressive could have secured i
ANYTHING like such vote in either o. |
hose two states 1t had, however, the |
,utward seeming of success. the sort o.
success that intoxicates-that catches the
.rowd. 1t enabled Roosevelt TO WIN IN
-wo or three really progressive states
ortunately, it did not enable him TO Sc
,ure the nomination which would have
the progressive movement
md defeated real achievement for years.
-s.ITnon Theodore Roosevelt and his fol-
ourare rests the responsibility of having
iivided the progressives in their first IA
ional contest
q win. they denounced loyalty to cen
fiction and principle as stubborn selIl rs
ness in the convention they put for-
rare no platforun-no issues. They made
10 fight against the reactionary platform