The Yale expositor., 1912-02-29
(John Fitz Gibbon in The Detroi
News, Jan. 20

|
| News, Jan. 20
| president Taft cannot be elected
ii renominated. 1t is time when re-
puDlicans can best serve the public
good by speaking their minds plain
ly."
SO declares Louis {. Champion,
prospective republican nominee for
congress in the seventh district, in
a signed editorial in this week S
issue of his newspaper, the Lapeer
| Clarion. Mr.. Champion, two years
ago, as the young republicans can
dldate, came within a few hundred
votes OF defeating Congressman ii,
| McMorran in the primaries. Report
| from the district are that he stands
| an excellent chance for getting The
nomination this year. His antl-TafL
| editorial reads:
"A true note has been struct by
| Judge Geo.W. Smith OF The Lapeer-
| Oakland circuit, in his appeal for an
anti-Taft delegation from the sixth
| congressional district in which he
| lives and woes. And the need for
such action and the fitness OF it is
just as apparent 10 thinking men in
TINS Seventh Congressional district
as it is in our neighboring district.
This district should be represente
in the National Republican, Conven
tIon in June by men who will not
vote for the denomination of Presi-
dent Taft. This should be SO
because;
1.-THE denomination OF Pres
ident Taft would not be in harmony
with the sentiment of the Republi-
cans of this district.
"2--President Taft cannot be
| elected ii renominated
''3-The republican party has
within its ranks men whose cleo
ton, ii nominated, would be assured
and who would much better typify
Republican sentiment than does
Taft. To me Roosevelt appears to
be the man, but there are others
like Cummins and Beveridge that
can unite the party and appeal with
reason to the support of the country
The nomination of one of these
would insure Republican success
and, what is more important, would
be the best guarantee that could be
given for the proper safeguarding
of the public interests the next four
years
THAT there is lack OF bamony
between President Taft and his
party is evident and the most
serious part Of it, is that it is the
result of an understanding rather
than a misunderstanding on the part
of the party, for if it we're a mis-
understanding il could be explained
away.
when Taft was first nominated
it was supposed he was of the
progressive type, thoroughly in
sympathy with the Roosevelt poll
cies. He was expected to be a
vigorous champion of those things
which means broader, fairer, more
equal opportunity for the many as
opposed to the unfair advantage of
the few. His administration has
not borne out our hopes. The coun- |
ny understands him better now
since he has. with the aid of Democ |
racy, forced through a lop-sided re-
ciprocity measure giving no consider
alton to the interests of the toilers |
on the farms, since he has failed to
secure the tariff reimbursement de- |
manded by the country; since he
has turned over to private interest |
the Controller Bay key to Alaskan |
development; since he has used his |
patronage as a club over those mem |
bers of his party in Congress who |
would not follow him in his. Payne
Aldrich tariff bill and Wickercham |
railroad bill advocacy. With this |
understanding the country has
changed its mind since 1908.
Taft, the man, still has the con-
fidence of the country-his integrity
and courage are unquestioned. But |
he is not in touch with the spirit |
OF the day, the needs of the tinres. |
Had he spent few years among |
plain folks on the farm or in the |
west his viewpoint might have been
modified sufficiently to kave sawed |
his party its present embarrassment.
'"The situation today is q serious
one, serious for the party and for
the country and it is q time when
Republicans can best serve the |
public good by speaking their minds
D1ain1y /"