The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-21
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campaign merely a bubbling over Of
the emotions, or lis Ii a means to the
achievement OF some definite enda If
Y IS the former 1T is easy to under
stand the campaign that Is being made
on behalf Of Senator LaFoIlette ait the
present time. LaFollette, more thar
any other prominent man in the re.
publican party, represents the spirit
OF protest, of dissent, of dissatisfac-
ton, and il the campaign OF his cup
porters is merely a protest, an ex-
preston OF dissatisfaction with things
as they are, with nc thought OF d REM
edy, so far ar the next administration
Is concerned, We know OF no more eff
Iectfye way that such a protest can be
voiced than in the rally OF LaFollette's
little band OF followers around him.
II there is no expectation on the
part Of LaFollette's supporters to
secure the election of a republican
president next fall, il it Isl accepted as
q foregone conclusion that a demo-
crat is to be elected: or if it is ac-.
cepted as q fact that the advocates
OF LaFollette hold that it makes no
difference what republican be elected
50 long as LaFollette be not that man,
then those who r persisting in their
support of LaFolIette are pursuing d
logical way to understand. Their
attitude is exactly that of the social
lists and the prohibitionists, for in
stance, who believe that republicans
and democrats are equally objection
able; who vote for their own party
candidates, not with any hope or ex-
p~ectation Of electing them, but in or
der to bring it to a point where sue
cess at the polls may be hoped for. If
that is the attitude of those who are
active in the LaFollette campaign, the
plan pursued is consistent, whether or
not it is based on a correct conception
of the needs of the country.
But, if LaFollette's friends hope for
and expect the election OF a republi-
can president next fall, how is their
attitude to be explained? M~anifestly,
the man who believes that there is a
reasonable chance for the nomination
of LaFollette is taking the natural
course in supporting him. But what
reason is there for believing this ?
Two months ago the LaF'ollette move
ment was at its height. he vas the
only avowed candidate around whom
the forces of that element of the party
could rally. The campaign was prose-
cuted vigorously, and it became evil
dent to the satisfaction of a number
OF the most skilled men who took part
in it that it could not succeed. 1t was
evident to them that with the cam
paign beween Taft and LaFollette the
former was sure to win. He had the
solid south, and almost the solid east.
All that could be hoped for LaFollette
was a solid delegation from a western
state here and there, with an OCCASION
al delegate here and there from a few
of the other states, Under those cir
cumstanceS Taft would have been
nominated on the first ballot. The
charge Of personal ~disloyalty cannot
be laid against those leaders for aban-
doning LaFollette. He had no claim
on their personal loyalty. The cam
paign was not, OF should not have
been, a personal one. The issue was
not that Of the success of this or the
other man. but Of the winning of a ma
tional campaign for advanced repub-
lican principles under some leader in
sympathy with those principles. IL it
could be demonstrated that LaFolIette
was the man under which such sue
cess could be o they were prepared
to support him before the convention,
in the convention, in the ensuing cam
paign and at the polls. LaFolIette
had his opportunity. He made such
an effort as few other men have made,
an effort which strained his physical
and mental endurance beyond the
breaking point. and the Taft strong
holds remained intact and the Taft
strength mistaken.
Under these circumstances what
was the natural thing to do? Mani
testify to seek a new leader. This is
what was done. There were plenty OF
other men in the party in sympathy
with the policies Of the progressive
elements of the party. There was
Cummings of Iowa; there was Bev-
eridge of Indiana; there was Judge
Hughes Of the supreme court; there
were many other men with whom no
fault could be found on personal
grounds, or as advocate of advanced
republican principles. But there ex-
listed in each case the same objections
that existed to the continued support
OF LaFollette-there was not the
slightest reason to believe that any
one of them could wrest the nomina-
ton away from Taft in the conven-
ton. There was one man, it was be-
lieved, could command a sufficient fol-
lowing to obtain the nomination. and
who after the nomination would be
sure Of the practically united and en-
thusiastic support OF the party. That
man was Theodore Roosevelt. Roose-
welt vas not a candidate. He was the
only mar in the United States who
could not, with propriety, become an
active and avowed candidate for the
position. There had, however, all
along been a strong u~ndercurrent OF
demand that Roosevelt be urged again
to head the republican party in a a
tionaI campaign. When 1T became ev-
ident that the LaFollette movement
had reached it's maximum, and that
no other suitable leader was In sight,
this demand began to crystalline IT,
self and take on concrete. form.
Roosevelt clubs and associations were
formed. Out Of the very earth, In a
thousand places, evidences OF Roose-
welt sentiment sprang up. Republic
cans who were dissatisfied with the
Taft regime were without a leader
whom they could hope for Gee AS
with one voice they began to demand
that Roosevelt be that leader. In that
demand Joined Governor Stubs OF
Kansas, one Of the most pronounced
insurgents in the country, Governor
Hadley Of Missouri. a recognized pro-
gressivs Of force and strength, MediII
Mccormick Of Chicago. whose Tribune
has been one Of the best known OF pro-
gressiye newspapers. Clifford Pinchot,