St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-11-13
PRESS COMMENT


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Where the Trouble Began
The split in the republican party, |
which has led to such great disaster |
this year, really dates back to 1908,
and had it's inception in the naming, |
by the then republican president, of
his successor. That successor-of |
whom it was expected that he would |
not only carry out the main policies
of the retiring president, as he un-
derstood them, but whenever any
new question arose would seek in
struction and direction from his
sponsor; who was not to tempoTize
with opponents of the expiring adj
ministration, but fight them to a fin
ish; who was to continue in Office
and be subservient to the famous
tennis cabinet" that had been so
near the throne for years, and in the
absence of the over-lord take his cue
from them-When the new president
failed to do all these things; when ne
presumed to show a slight trace of
independence; to deal with new stu
ations as he saw them; to seek a
middle instead of an extreme
ground; to harmonic instea.1 of
breed discord-then trouble came.
There were only two courses for
Taft to pursue-the one he took and
the one that would have made no.
nenity of him. Roosevelt, ii is
clear, expected Taft to do in all re-
spects exactly as he would have done.
He expected too much. No man with
a spark of pride or individuality
would have done that. Taft did hon
estly try to pursue the Roosevelt
policies as far as he believed in them
h h
under changing conditions. But even
ahead of his sponsors will he plac-
ed the mandate of the party that act
ually elected him as voiced in it's
platform, and still ahead of that he
placed his own judgment and con-
science and loyalty to the country.
He regarded himself the president of
the people, rather than Roosevelt's
president.
! In this, as now appears, he made
| a mistake from a selfish point of
view. Having taken Office by grace
of Roosevelt, rather than the party
or the people, he should have carried
out the tacit contract and sunk him
self in the personality of his spon-
sor. He should not have shown in
dependence in any particular, but
complete subservience in all respects
to the ROoseveltian view. Had he
done this. very likely the Colonel re-
turning from Africa, would have
smiled approvingly, would have en-
dorsed him enthusiastically would
have fought for, and perhaps ,ecur-
ed, a second term for Taft-under
the same arrangement as before.
There would have been progressives
or insurgents this year, as there we're
| ho aIx IN nd h,1A
Roosevelt could have been counted
on to "slug 'em over the ropes as
he did then-ask LaFollette about it,
There would have been no bolt, no
third party, with the strange spect-
acle of former president leading it
in an attempt to defeat his former
/ friend and ward, and to destroy the
corrupt" party that had twice hon
ored him and once abdicated it's row.
er to name a president at his behest.
Are we to understand. then. that
the American people, acting through
any of the great parties, ratify the
principle that the presidency, thou gh
| by law limited to set terms, and by
custom to certain number of years,
| is in effect to be a life office? That
a chief executive who proves strong
or popular and wants to continue his
constitution may name his successor
and hold him strictly accountable
| for discharge of duty according to
his own standard? That we are
about to enter upon a period of dict
atOrship that means nothing If not
a dynasty of presidents? Do our
people want this to come? Certainly
the fate of Rome when like condi-
tions arose and the republic passed
by rapid stages to imperialism and
then decay ought to warn us.
The practice of choosing ones own
successor in Office is abhorent and in
les in this country. The liberty to
exert the powerful influence Of the
administration in behalf of anyone
ought to be denied the incumbent of
the highest office even as it is for
hidden the humble postmaster. mail
clerk or carrier to be Extensively &C
tive in politics, with penalty Of dis
missal from the civil service L; he
ltransgresses. The American people
should select their own presidents,
free from pressure of this nature.
Then the president would be &C
countable to the people, not to a sim
gel individual. Then it would not
be possible for a former president.
speaking of a disappointing heir in
Office, to use the shameful phrase
shameful in a free repubIic-f'He bit
the hand that fed him. - Herald
and News.