The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-24
perity and greater opportunity to all
who desire to enter the lists.
Betrayal of Taft's Friendship

WHO QeSlEe TO enter the nSlS.
Betrayal of Taft's Friendship
THE betrayal of President Tafts
friendship by Theodore Roosevelt was
an act of perfidy which the Americ4 n
people resent. For 80 years Colonel
Roosevelt was identified with the party
which he has now deserted For 80
years 1t had crowned him with honors-
But it is q party that stands for con-
stitutional government, and when he
endeavored to lay the axe at the roo:
of its institutions, when he endeavor-
ed to discard the tradition that
lows no man more than two terms at
the White House, when he demanded
that the faithful services of William
Howard Taft and the splendid achieve
ments of 1is administration be uE-
gratefully disregarded in order that his
own vaulting ambition might be given
fuller play, the party rebelled. And
because it rebelled, he raised the cry
of stop THIEF when he himself had
been caught with his hands in anoth-
mans pocket.
The Alleged Contests.
AT the Chicago convention he ard
his personal representatives framed
up contests for delegates which were
without merit and absolutely fraudU-
lent. and Colonel Roosevelt himself
smilingly admitted it. And yet, when
these contests were decided against
him, as they should have been. no
showed himself to be an advocate MT
of the square deal. but of the loud
squeal, and, on the pretense that the
national committee had robbed him, h.
left the party at a time when it had
become more responsive to popular
opinion than at any other period dur
ing the three decades of his member
ship in it.
The Republican Party Program
1.-THE Republican party has never
put forth so progressive a platform as |
that on which Mr.. Taft stands for re-
election The Republican party was
good enough for Mr. Roosevelt as far
back as 1882, when he wanted to 60
to the New York assembly 1t was
good enough for him in 1884, when
James G. Blaine was its candidate. 1t
was good enough for him in 1895. |
when the bosses. whom he now &C. |
cries, but with whom he constantly
operated throughout his own political |
career, gave him the nomination for |
mayor of New York. 1t was good |
enough for him in 1889. when ne |
wanted to be civil service commission |
err, although the national leader at tfat |
time was Mathew Stanley Quay o.
Pennsylvania. He did not desert in |
1897, when he wanted to be assistant |
of the navy, although he had |
to get the place through the kindly |
assistance of Hanna, Platt and QuaT
When Party Was Good Enough.
HE did not repudiate the party n
1898, when he wanted the nomination |
for governor OF New York, and when |
he was willing to remain on friendly |
terms with the Platt machine to Sc
good in 1900, when Platt and Quay |
forced his nomination for the vice I
presidency. 1t was all right in 1904,
when he demanded of it his own nom -
nation for the presidency. And there
was nothing the matter with it III
1908, when he dictated the nomination
of his successor, when he co-operateG
cOercially with the members OF TT
III mi q
whom now he denounced as scoundre's
and thieves The party would have
been good enough in 1912 if it hdo
continued to accept orders from him.
1t would have been good enough If 1t
had defied the anti-third term tradi-
lion and given him the nomination.
There would have be n no objection
to the participation of the black mar
Of the south in political affairs If tn
black man of the south had been Ter
Roosevelt. There would have been no
outcry against the participation of the
south in the nomination of Repu5:i-
AN president, if the southern delegates
lad been for Roosevelt. The party
would never have been denounced as
eactionary and irresponsible to popular
opinion, if it had nominated ME. Bl-,
t didn't, and failing to make II th9
instrument of his own vaulting ambi-
ion and subservient to his own venge-
,ul spirit, he determined upon its de-
;truction.
Turning to Taft.
But the people are of another
mind Mr. Roosevelt will disappear
rom the scene of activities in due ,
ime. but the Republican party VIII
survive No one man is indispensable ,
o the party, just as no one man is In
lispensable to the country. 1t is this .
knowledge which is gaining ground. :
The people are now fully apprised ct ,
he splendid attachments and the high !
character Of their chief executive.
Md because Of it. because of the cor
fiction that prosperity and develop j,
nent along all lines-material AMI
deal-are best subserved by it, the
people of the country are turning I" I
President Taft in such numbers as to
live nromise of his reelection in NJ
-ember, an outcome in which 1 have .
L. dnnrns+ y Ia1d ire nersnnal f. Attn