The Washington herald., 1912-05-12
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

ALREADY tne struggle LOT supremacy ~
| the State has become intense The pri-
mary election occurs on the zIst. .
week from next Tuesday, and from now
until that date there win be a bitter
fcontest for control.
On the Republican side no quarttr
viii be asked or given. Il is to be a
fight to the finish. Neither President
Taft nor Col Roosevelt is sparing
the other Taft, according to Roose-
welt is useless; Roosevelt. from Taffs
point of view, is unsafe, Taft accuses
Roosevelt Of hitting him below the belt;
Roosevelt retorts that Taft is equally
unfair. No one can tell what the end
will be 1t is a spectacle totally un-
like anything ever seen in American
political history. Roosevelt, Of course,
enjoys it He has a tempestuous spirit
which delights in making trouble, and
the greater the disturbance the keener
is his delight The effect Of bis ac-
tions upon the future of his party does
not apparently concern him in the
least The fact that he has created a
breach which viii be difficult to heal
is of little consequence. Long ago 1t
was predicted in these columns that
Roosevelt whether nominated or not,
was determined that President Taft
should not again receive his psrtys
Endorsement or, if nominated, should
not be elected Like Samson, he would
pull, down the temple, even though he
also was crushed in the ruins.
The events which have transpired
justify the assertion. 1t would seem
as if Roosevelt is actuated by two
fold purpose-6rst, to accomplish TafSs
political destruction, and, second, to.
secure his own nomination. Some peo-
pie would reverse this statement and
give foremost place to the hope of the
nomination. There is, however, so
much bitterness in Roosevelt's assaults
upon the President, and he has gone
so far in his inyectives, that it is evi-
dent he is inspired by something
more than mere ambition. 1t must be
remembered, too. that when the ques-
ton Of opposing Taft was first brought
to his attention he said that he doubted
whether Tafts nomination could be
prevented. 1t is plain, therefore, that
when he entered into the fight his plan
was to create doubt and uncertainty as
to Taft's availability as a candidate and
to arouse toward him a sentiment of
popular distrust: The outcome of this
plan would naturally be the weakening
of Mr.. Tafts position in seeking re-
election, inasmuch az IT would afford |
much political ammunition for the DEM
ocratic campaign managers.
This Machiavellian scheme has been |
prosecuted with eagerness and persist |
ency. The burden of Roosevelt's |
speeches is now the unhtness of the
President. He has abandoned the Is
sues which he enunciated in his Co
lunlbus speech; he says nothing nova
days concerning the recall of court de-
cisions; he ignores the initiative and
the referendum; he dwells wholly and
entirely upon Mr.. Taft, and, incidental
ly, attacks the so-called bosses. 1t is
unmistakably true that his chief aim
is now to pull down the President and
if he can accomplish this. he will be
content.
1t is easy enough to understand why
Roosevelt's mind should work in this
direction. He made Taft the nominee
Of the Republican party and materially
aided in his election. He did this by
the use of the steam-roller methods
which he now denounces and through
the cooperation of the very bosses
whom he now so earnestly assails. He
desires to show, however, that the
President whom he made can now be
Inmade. 1t will be a personal graft
6cation to him to demonstrate, that
while Taft owed him much in becom-
ing President, he still possesses the
power to displace him. If Taft had
been the creature of Roosevelt all this
would not have happened. If he had
lone all the things which Roosevelt
wanted done he would have been ac-
:laimed to-day as great and good
President No one would have been
more active than Roosevelt in seeing
hat he was renominated and reelected.
rhe fact that he did not do so explains
he situation in which he finds himself
o-day.
And it is a situation which, without
loubt, is embarrassing to the Republi- !
an party.
So much bitterness has been created
nd the feeling is so intense in both !.
actions that it will be very difficult |,
o reconcile differences after the con-
,ention has been held. As to the out
ONE of that convention it may be said
hat President Taft deserves and should
eceive his party's Endorsement. He
as made an honest, capable, and pa
riotic President There is no doubt, !
lso, that he can be nominated. HeiU'
q