Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-11-20
THE TWO EX-PRESIDENTS
Colonel w. J. Bryan's Comment on
Taft and Roosevelt

William J. Bryan in his last Com
moner has the following to say OF
President Taft and President
Roosevelt:
Mr.. Taft's retirement from the
presidential Office would be humil-
iating to him but for the consolation
that he finds in the fact that by run
ming ne made certain the defeat OF
Mr.. Roosevelt. Whatever may be
the reasons for the personal hestili-
~ between the President and the
President, there is no doubt that
each one felt justified in suffering
defeat himself rather than permit
the other to succeed. The Demo
cratic party is the immediate bepe-
ticiary of this personal hostility but
the country is the gaire err, for the
disruption of the Republican party
will result in an advance that was
not possible otherwise. Mr.. Taft
has done a number Of things which
reflect credit upon his administra-
ton, bnt he has failed so signally to
trust the people and TO recognize
the trend of progressive sentiment
that his good deeds are likely to be
over looked by his polit cal short
.omings. He is an honest man, a
well meaning man. and personally
lovable man, but all these qualities
fail to satisfy when he stands in the
way OF a peoples progress. How
ever much one may dissent from the
conclusion that the people roach, he
is not justified in opposing the pop
ular will wien that will is constitu-
tionally expressed. The people may
make mistakes, but they have
right to make mistakes. No one
can claim the right to make mis-
takes for them. MIR. Taft's failure
to satisfy the demands of the people
will be lesson to those who come
after him. But in spite of the mon
will carry into private life the per-
scnal good will of multitude who
voted against him. They will wish
him long life, health and prosperity.
What about Mr.. Roosevelt? Mr..
Roosevelt's overwhelming defeat
can not but dampen the ardor OF
those who worship him so blindly
as to think him invincible. They
will now have time 10 mediate upon
the largeness of the American cleo
torate and to realize that it takes a
great many supporters TO give a
man a majority. There were several
causes that contributed to Mr..
Roosevelt's defeat, frst-the fact
that he was a boiling candi late.
All of the inertia Of the party was
against him, all the forces of regu
larity. Then the investigations
showed that be was intimately asso-
ciated with men who do not enjoy
public confidence. The men who
contributed the bulk of his campaign
fund are a liability rather than an
asset to a candidate. His attitude
on the trust question alarmed those
who have studied the trust question
and appreciate the menace of pri-
vate monopoly, but the strongest
argument against him was the argu-
ment against the third term. He not
only asked a third term but refused to
discuss any Limitation on the num-
Der of terms. M. Roosevelt's Ca
reer as office-seeker is over il past
events furnish any basis for judg-
ment, but his career fol usefulness
may be only begun. AS moral
force be may not only be a National
power but a world power. IT all
depends upon the purpose that ami
mates him. IL is true in politics as
in the sphere of religion that he that
saveth his life shall lose it, and one
can lose his life in the yervice of
cause and by so dom, find the
larger life.