The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-07
NOMINATING SYSTEM CRITICISED
Boston Herald Takes Republicans to
Task for Their Action.

When the Republican national con
vention made nomination for the presi'
dency at the behest of the southern
states which have no Republcanism, OF
the pocket boroughs east and west, OF
the outlying possessions, and OF not
more than one-third OF the Republican
voters who participated in the primaries
in the states TO which the party must
look for its support it amply provided
for what happened yesterday.
The Herald, not agreeing with those
who thought Mrs Roosevelt should be
nominated, made every effort to hold the
Republicans OF New England in line for
Taft. But when it became evident that
the Republican voters of the country did
not want him renominated. The Herald
urged compromise candidate. Effort
in that direction failing, The Herald
never has given its readers the slightest
reason for thinking the outcome would
be other than what it il.
The Republicans of the country want
to nominate the Republican candidate
for the presidency. The only instances
where they have not done Harrison
in 1892 and Taft in l9l2-have resulted
disastrously. Some revision of the nom
mating system SO that those who carry
the party burden shall be secure in re-
sponsihility for party management is
the first the obvious moral of the pres
ent disaster.
Into the question of whether the con-
sentative leadership at Chicago did right
in prevailing the nomination OF Roose
welt at the expense of party disruption,
it is now pertinent to go. The colonel
himself was responsible for the failure
Of all compromise plans His dictum
that he would be the compromise candi-
date, if there were one, settled the ques
tion. His opponents, in possession of
the machinery, then proceeded to apply
the steam DISCRIMINATING not only /
Mr.. Taft, but Mr. Sherman, in signi6- |
rant assertion of their mastery OF the |
situation They defeated Roosevelt, but |
they did nothing for the Republican
party. Their strategy was thus only |
lalf effective.
Before the election of 1912 goes into |
history some definite conclusions should I
DC SET down. Oue Is IHdI IAOOSeNeIt Z
with the Republican nomination would |
nave swept the country A man with
,ut party, without an organiza
ion, without the label which governs /
most voters, can make the showing re-
orded this morning, would have been
at the head of his old column.
I did not need his election to show that
The figures of the ballot of 1904 remain
Iighly impressive for those who will
cad them. Whether as a dangerous
menace to the security of our institu-
ions, or as a great tribune of the peo-
way he may be regarded
Roosevelt must be set down as pos
essed of an almost magical hold on the
lectorate.s
II should besides be set down as made
lear by the developments of the year
hat Mr.. Taft could not have been re-
lected no matter how harmonious had
cen the convention behind him. This
as q Democratic year. All the signs
ointed in that direction. The off-year ,
ections of 1910 had disclosed the pres
nee of tide which nothing had since
ltervened to arrest. Mr.. Taft would
ave been in respectable minority
nd his nomination come 10 him with
ut contest. but he could not have been
Herald.