New-York tribune., 1912-02-06
TFrom The Tribune BuTeau.l
Washington, FebruaI


OPTIMISM GROWS-From all secuohs
OF the country news of most encouragihe
character continues TO reach the Whitc
House, and members Of Congress to whom
the popularity of the man who viii heau
the national ticket next November Is OF
vital Importance are hearing from theH
local lieutenants in terms Whlch ihuie"'o
the rapidly growing strength OF Presiue"'
Taft. The action of the Cook County conn
mittee representing all Chicago, Is ha'u-
rally most gratifying, and reports from
New York are not less so. The stahd ol
the Topeka Day Club composed OF wv
voting Kansans. I'm unanimously indorslng
the President for a denomination Is sls-
nificant To those who have imagineu lhdl
Governor Stubbs could dictate TO his party
i'm that state the Topeka clubs action mas
proved an eyeopener Politicians accus-
toned TO analyze political news point 10
the fact that the developments which give
promise of success for President Tart are
concrete, that they consist of the actoh
OF official boards and committees. whereas
such developments as have received Wloe
publicity as indicating the strength OF the
Insurgent movement will not bear scrutiny.
They are not official. They are the eN-
pressons Of self-constituted committees
generally composed Of or led by some re-
jected offceseeker or some Official uls-
missed for cause. One Senator al the
White House pointed out to-day that II
was an easy matter for few soreheaus
TO get together. adopt some high sounding
name and then make noise enough 10 at
tract attention in the press, but that those
-I,I pl,p of
look far enough TO ascertain whether those
expressions Of opposition emanated from
ANYBODY that was really representative OF
whether they were merely the blatant
shouting of some inconsequential group Oh
malcontents. The collapse of the La FOL
lette boomlet IS hardly an occasion OF soi-
row TO the friends of the President al
though they wish the Wisconsin patriot no
i'll. and they cannot escape the conclusion
that it is only retributive justice that
politician who has built up his entire repu-
tation by calumniating and vilifying others
should go down to defeat through an eN-
cess in that direction.
LA TOILETTE FOR WIISON.-Addi-
tional evidence that Senator La Foiette
realized he vas singing his swan song al
PHILADELPHIA is furnished by the indorSe-
ment of Governor Wilson which he insert
ed in his speech. IF a Democrat is TO be
elected President OF the United States
hope II will be Woodrow wilson La Fol
lette declared, and his statement ls regard
ed as complete evidence OF his realization
of his own failure and his great hostility
10 the President, which would prompt MIN
10 prefer the election OF the Governor OF
New Jersey TO that Of the occupant of the
White House. To the embarrassment OF
those who would explain away the WIS.,
Consnite's diatribe against the press and
the egotism which prompted him To hold
his hearers, in 50 far as possible, until l:O
a. m. by alleging that he was not mentally
responsible that his course was due 10 his
physical condition, etc, he persists in de-
claring that he meant every word he said;
that he was in no sense incapacitated and
that he sees no occasion for apologizing for
anything he said or for the time it took
him to say It, Those who heard him ex-
plain that he was angered by the reception
Of his remarks in the beginning and that
he kept on in the hope Of converting ~
hearers
SAY ROOSEVELT MUST SPEAK.-Ac-
cording to the insurgent leaders, ex-Presi-
dent Roosevelt must be made TO speak. lie
must be compelled to declare his cand-
dacy, and that soon. and 10 that end all
their energies will be bent from now on.
They are becoming desperate. They .ea-
lize that nothing short OF Colonel Roose-
velts avowed candidacy can prevent the
nomination of President Taft. They zee
the Taft movement growing apace; they
appreciate that before long unless some
thing occurs to check the movement,