Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-19
The Presidential Candidates.

OF the candidates for the presi-
parties, the unquestioned leaders are
Mr. Taft and Col. Roosevelt on the
Republican side, and Messrs. Wilson,
Clark, Underwood and Harmon on the
Democratic side.
AS to who is going to get the res
pective nominations, no man can tell
at this stage Of the proceedings
tainly no man, who is not an unu-
sually shrewd and we'll informed poll
itician.
One great source Of confusion is
the newspapers, so many Of which
seem to be edited on such narrow and
partisan lines-lines that do not seem
to admit of an effort even to try to
arrive at the facts much less print
them.
Most of the Roosevelt papers are
claiming that the colonel is absolutely
certain to get the nomination. and
Taft, Clark, Wilson, Harmon and I'm
derwood papers are doing the same
thing.
The candidates Of the most conser-
vative element in the country. the
element that hopes to keep things as
they are with as little change as pos
sible, are Taft and Harmon. Under
wood Is probably next least objection
able to this element, and Clark next
So far as this element Is concerned 1t
would rather have Taft than Harmon.
mainly because the reelection Of Taft
would bring about the smaller amount
of business disturbance, especially in
that there would be no appreciable
change in the office holding personnel.
The election of Harmon, of course,
would mean that Republicans would
have to give way to Democrats; but
Democrats of a kind very similar to
the Republicans they displace.
Mr. Clark is a very good man, and
is not seriously Objectionable to the
conservative interest referred to; but
since he has not been tried in an ex-
ecutive capacity as have both Taft
and Harmon, there would be some
misgiving about him. Most of Mr..
Clark's strength, there is reason to be-
lieve is based upon the friendship of
the members Of the congress over
which he presides, and while 1t Is not
to be denied that this element Of
strength is most powerful, as a matter
of fact it has never yet cut any serious
figure in the nomination or election of
a president.
Col. Roosevelt and Governor Will
son are what have been designated as
"progressives." Radical is probably
as true designation. Both believe
that many fundamental wrongs that
should be corrected have grown up in
our public life, and both are outspok-
en- in their views as to what many of
those wrongs are and how they are to
be corrected. q
AS to what Col. Roosevelt stands for
is pretty generally understood He is
no respecter of persons or traditions.
He Is certainly unwilling to allow him
self to be controlled by convention.
AS to whether he has done any real
ernment, one can only speculate.
| There is no way of putting the proof in
such shape that it cannot be disputed;
but that he has been a very positive
force along the lines he has marked
out for himself is hardly to be denied.
Governor Wilson is a man, if not
exactly of the Bryan class Of pretty
nearly the Bryan way of thinking, and
almost as progressive, or radical, If
one prefers the term, as Mr.. Roose-
welt. This is especially true as to the
doctrine he has been preaching and
continues to preach, and his record as
governor of New Jersey has been con-
sistent with the doctrines he breaches.
While we would not like to say that
Roosevelt will not be able to wrest the
nomination from Taft; we are inclin-
ed to think that If he does succeed it
Twill be remarkable, especially i'm view
of Taft's tremendous advantage of po-
sition, his control of government ma
chinery and his first term. The fact
seems to have been evidenced that
Roosevelt is more popular with the
rank and file of the voters than is
Taft: but even thai does not necessar-
lily count against the experience and
skill of the politicians, who will figure
in the nominating convention.
Wilson also seems to have the same
popular advantage of Clark that
Roosevelt has of Iaft; but then Clark
undoubtedly has the advantage of
Wilson in the matter Of experienced
politicians who will figure in the con-
vention.
| AS to who will he the nominees there
is no telling-not until after the con-
! lventions have been held.