New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-23
CHICAGO AND AFTER.

AFTER Sutil IOllS. blibNl anu Nltllpi liif'i''rN
strife as the whole country hopes never
to see repeated Mr.. Taft deserved re-
nomination by reason Of the unseltlSh
patriotism and general excellence of his
administration He deserted it eSpe-
cially at this time because he has stood
for the fundamental prin-
cipleS of government which are essential
to the preservation of ordered liberty
and the security of those least able to
protect themselves. There was no one
else to whom, at the close Of passionate
contest in defence Of those principles,
the party could more hopefully turn Tor
leadership in the difficult campaign
which is before IT, Had there been avail
able a man on whom the majority of the
convention could have heartily united In
the confident belief that he would be
stronger at the polls next November the
President would have urged that he
should he chosen.
The platform Oh which the Republican
candidate stands is sound in substance
and well put together 1t not merely
acknowledges but leads the advance
which settled public opinion demands.
That demand includes downward revl-
sion Of the tariff in conformity with the
conditions of production accurately as
certanpd: such an administration OF the
government as will make ii responsive,
not TO the whimS and passions of the mo-
ment, but TO the intelligent and CON
scientious convictions of the majority;
an honest enforcement of the antitrust
law. avoiding alike tenderness for the de-
fiant. and spasmOdiC and unreasonable
prosecution: free labor, equal rights Tor
all and equal protection TO all; the abso-
lutte maintenance of the independence OF
Judges. and revision Of their decisions
when revision is necessary. by the con
stitutional methods provided. not by the
sudden ClamOr Of mass meeting. H.
as the outcome of this convention, there
had been any tampering with the judicial
system. any approach 10 approval OF the
fatal folly Of the recall Of judges or de-
cisions. The Tribune, in the words or
Horace Greeley. would have spit on Such
a platform. whoever had stood on 1t.
The platform adopted. on such an exam
nation as time has permitted, appears
substantially TO satisfy the indispensable
requirements Of national existence. We
hope that more careful scrutiny Will
Justify the first estimate.
The results of the convention are on
the whole most fortunate and welcome.
The processes by which. or rather in
spite Of which, those results have been
secured were deplorable. As we said be-
fore the convention assembled or its
proceedings could he guessed, the situa-
ton developed during the preliminary
campaign was utterly diScreditable to
American institutions, and we believe
the American people are too disguised
with it to tolerate the idea Of permitting
it to continue
With the utmost repugnance the Prei-
dent yielded to advice which we feel
was mistaken, and submitting TO what
he was persuaded to consider a neces-
sity, entered upon a personal contest
for control of the convention. He OBJ
tanned at last the control which might
more easily and securely have been OBJ
tanned otherwise; but at n heavy saCri-
fee in which the whole American nation
has shared. If this one experience were
sure to be the last it might he pushed
out Of sight in the hope that IT might be
forgotten But the risk Of a repetition is
1sf,tI1 Ill
that the country should not drift into
another Presidential campaign without q
manly and determined effort to amend
the Constitution. preferably lengthening
the Presidential term to six years, and
prohibit a reelection. BY that means
we might reasonably expect to see the
quality Of every Presidents services
raised and the dangers inherent in the
present system averted.
1t has been reported, and denied for
ready, or nearly ready TO desert the
party which he has signally honOred for
many years and by which he has been
sgnally honored. We hoped that if that
strange and wretched purpose was enter
tanned 1t would be abandoned. Many,
we believe most. even Of the devoted sup
porters by whom he has been surrounded
during the last three months. II not also
during the last passionate days in Chi
cagO, realize that the preservation of the
Republican party. which with all its
faults Is the one sane and safe political
organization in the country, IS incompar-
ably more important than the gratifica-
lion Of any personal ambitiOn-aboye all
an ambition fostered by self-styled re-
formers like PinchOt and Garfield for re-
venge, or by spectators like Munsey.
Intelligent people must. in the calmer
moments which are coming, perceive
that campaign professedly against
trusts and monopoly and the selfish in
terest Of individuals which is kept alive
by the resources of the chairman Of the
finance committee Of the Harvester
Trust Is too grOtesque TO command the
liberation Of serious men. In that cause
the money Of George W Perkins stinks.
We had confidently believed that Mr..
Roosevelt. free from the tumult and the
shouting and eased of the first pangs Of
diSappOintment, would relieve his sincere
and unSelfiSh supporters OF the neces-
sity Of abandoning him. and, failing to
hear anything which quiet listener
could possibly cOnstrue as the voice Of
the people. would consent to abide by