The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-14
Says Sec. Franklin Mcveagh Of
Roosevelt
AND BELIEVES HE WOULD NOT
Ayers That Col. Roosevelt Has Placed
Himself Out of the Presidential
Arena by His Declaration
of 1904.

=
Ing an administration pre-convention
campaign gun here last night at the an
uual dinner of the Zach Chandler Re-
publican club, where he was the guest
of honor, came out fatty with the eX-
pressed belief that Theodore Roosevelt
would not-and with his make up,
could not-run against Taft" for the
Republican presidential nomination this
year.
Secretary MscVeagh confined his conf
dence to the present contest, however,
ibtimating that there might come
time when the former president would
be justified in re-entering a presidential
race. Averring that Col. Roosevelt had
placed himself out of the presidential
arena by his declaration of 1904, the
secretary said:
ut may be difficult to explain away
the present appearances created by
Roosevelt's silence and the yolubilities
of his insurgent visitors; but that, to
my mind, is not so difficult as it is
to believe that Roosevelt would accept
nomination this year under any con-
ceivable circumstances. For it must be
admitted that nothing short of ma
tinnal crisis--such as may come IN the
future, but is not within the range OF
sane imagination now--would ever be
accepted as justification for such
change of front-and this Roosevelt
must know"
The secretary of the treasury under
took to define what is a progressive"
giving to President Taft that title, and
calling the Republican insurgents re-
dictionaries. His conclusions regarding
Republican progressives were epitomized
in these words I'VE have to-day
progressive administration and a pro-
gressiye president; and we have re-
dictionary opposition within the party
re- dictionary Notwithstanding the honest
Lclief of those who are carrying 1t on
that they are progressives and not re-
dictionaries at all.
Mr.. Macyeagh argued that there were
various kinds of progressives. One set,
he said, put their weight upon agitation
and education, another upon legislation
and achievement Both he regarded as
necessary to progress.
There is third class of progress
sives," he continued, ''who give constant
emphasis to the title of progressive but
who have not the invariable scent for
progress and who are liable TO trail
of and bark up the wrong tree-the |
re. dictionary tree-now supporting the |
old log rolling system of tariff legis-
lation, and now attending the supreme
court. Our present insurgents are of |
this class"
Mr.. MacVeagh argued that President |
Taft had assumed and had been faith
full to the policies of his predecessor
the platform of the progressives in the I
Republican party augmenting them by l
another distinguished list Of great pol
icies of his own"
Taft and Roosevelt" Mr. Macveagh
"have been two eminent presi-
dents; and their administrations com
pliment each other, and are practically |
one. Roosevelt came first, as he should
have come; and Taft came next, as he
should have come. Roosevelt blazed the
way and Taft has made that way a
highway"
The motto of the Republican oppo-
hents to the president, the secretary de-
,lared, was anything to beat TAFT"
when it was found impossible" con-
tinued Mr.. MacVeagh, "to make head
|
'ause they failed to touch the national
ma gination, the insurgents looked about
,Rain and then thought of Roosevelt.
This unauthorized, happy 90 lucky
movement is the latest way
to beat Taft 1t is the new club, the
lew bludgeon. Why they should wish
o beat Taft at all is beyond reason
die human comprehension. They don't
rant to nominate La Toilette or Cum J
niHs or Roosevelt. The anything to
cat Taft movement was begun as a '
it has more or less Of y
hat blood-in-the- eye character still,
UNLESS | am gravely mistaken. they
eill find different man to deal with
n Roosevelt. I believe the ANYTHING ]
o beat Taft people will never succeed
n getting Roosevelt to lead them. They
re dealing with one who knows pol
Iics and with man who has q wealth :
I great things Of the past to look ait.
{, to cherish, and to protect. A third !,
ii third term were legti-
iatized by the authority of an unani.
'ous demand of the people would be
I far less value to him than the un-
in,med record of the two terms he has 7
erved ! was snuncompromising Roose-
elf man when Roosevelt was presi-
emit; and | am his political friend to-
ay. And it rs because I nave so long
rusted his political and patriotic in.
tincts that ! have not wavered in my =
clief that Roosevelt would not---and
18th his make up. could not conceive a
eason why he should run against Taft v
THE record of Taft cannot be i'm n
cached before the people. And Roose- Il
elf Is not, as | measure him, the man c,
} be caught with the thin chat of fl
hin opposition movement. There is no
crisis in the Republican a
Brty-and no progressive quality in the II
nvthing to beat Taft l.
Moreover Roosevelt has laid down II
Ne course of his future political career.
e stated himself out OF the presiden.
al arena when he made his declaration
1904 And he win not come back D
ito it-and surely he ought not to come
ack into ito contest for mere po-
teal honors nor to help a factitious ;,
VOLT nor for any but some iInpera- y
We reason which will meontestibly JUS u
fy, in the calm Judgment of all high .
inded men, the change OF deliberate a,
81 conviction and the withdrawal of >
deliberate profound promise" U
Secretary MacVeagh said that as
riff reformer he had advised the presi-
mt to sign the Payne bill. though it I
IS disappointing and only beginning" ! lie
le knew, however. when that bill was tc
Oued y the SECRETARY continued chat OF