The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-09

Defeat OF Party i'm November.
Chicago, March 5.-ltenry L. Slim
son, of New York, Secretary Of War,
and the Roosevelt candidate for Gov
ernOr Of New York in 1910, tonight
declared himself for President Taft,
and said that while he remained the
sincere friend Of Mr.. Roosevelt, he
could not support him for the Presi-
Dental nomination.
Mr.. Stimson entered President Taft's
Cabinet last year after consultation
with Mr.. Roosevelt, and with the dis
tinct understanding with the Presi-
dent that he would be bound in no
way to take part in the political ac-
tivities of the Administration. In a
speech before the Taft Club of ILL
nois tonight he declared his belief
that President Taft's administration
represented the highest expression Of
progressive Republican policy.
II am here tonight to speak Of the
denomination of President Taft"
said Mr.. Stimson. "I am now and al
ways have been a progressive"
II am for Mr.. Taft because be-
lieve he has faithfully carried out the
progressive faith Of the Republican
party; that the administration stands
for orderly, permanent progress in
our National Government; and that
to refuse him the nomination on the
assertions that have been made
against him would be blow to that
progress and would put a premium
upon hasty and unfounded criticism
Il entered into public life under
the inspiration Of Theodore Roosevelt
am a firm believer in the great nat
ional policies for which he has fought;
and / now remain his sincere friend
But believe that those who are
forcing him. contrary to his original
intention, into the arena against Mr.
Taft are jeopardizing instead Of help
ing the real cause Of progress in the
nation.
THE introduction Of such con-
test at this time. dragging in, as it
necessarily will, new and personal is
sues which are quite foreign to the
great progressive policies for which
the Republican party stands, cannot
fail to weaken whichever candidate is
eventually nominated in June. IT, as
a result, that candidate is defeated
in November. the Government may be
thrown into the hands of a truly
reactionary party for years to come"
Mr.. Stimson said that President
Taft had devoted himself unceasing-
ly to the carrying out of construc-
tive work along progressive lines. The
Administration was begun, he said.
upon a plan that had "the thorough
approval and deliberate endorsement
of Mr.. Roosevelt" and to that plan
President Taft had adhered rigidly.
us 1t fair now to criticise him ?"
asked Mr.. Stimson, because, in
faithfully carrying out his pledge Of
four years ago, in performing this vi
tally useful though inconspicuous
work. he has not dominated the pub
lie attention with dramatic display ?"
President Taft pledged himself,
said Mr.. Stimson to a progressive de-
velopment" Of the work that Presi-
dent Roosevelt had inaugurated. and
the completion and perfection of the
machinery by which the moral stand
ards set by President Roosevelt may
be maintained"
ITO this work Mr.. Taft has devot-
ed himself" said Mr.. Stimson. "He
thus deliberately renounced more
striking methods Of reform and set
himself to the undramatic and incon-
spicuous public service which leaves
out all thought Of mans own ag-
grandizement.
He has repeatedly, for example,
urged upon Congress to place upon
the classified civil service all Of the
Presidential offices; a measure which
would at one blow strike out most Of
the enormous political power Of the
President.
THE results Of this deliberate self
abnegation are shown in the great
plishments Of his term. Mr. Taft's
standards OF administration, like
those of Mr.. Roosevelt, have been
constantly toward purity and eleva-
In, ~