The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-30
SENATOR BoRAH,s STAND.

! BOran OF lQahO, writes eX-COngreSS-
man Charles F. Scott from Chicago
to his newspaper, the lola Register
He was in Chicago recently on his
way home from Washington, and
emphatically confirmed a report CIV en-
out sometime ago that he would re-
main Republican and would not
follow Roosevelt into a new party.
This determination is all the more sig
nificant as the senator is a candidate
for reelection before a statewide pri-
mary in that section of the country
where the Roosevelt sentiment is said
to be the strongest.
Senator Borah has always been
ranked as one of the Progressives,
but he has been as independent of
Progressive bossism as he has been
of any other sort. That is one rea-
son why he could not work along
with Col Roosevelt. Nobody can do
that who is not completely subser-
Went to the colonePs wishes. Borah
was a member of the national ccm-
mittee, and while he was rightly
classed as a supporter of Roosevelt,
yet he voted upon the contests which
were brought before the national COM
mittee according to his own judg-
ment. In doing this he voted SO
many times to seat the Taft delegates
that the Boston attorney who was
here personally representing Roose-
welt upbraided him and suggested that
he turn over his proxy to some
Roosevelt man who would not have
so sensitive a conscience. Senator
Borah responded firmly that he was
there to cast his own vote and he
would not turn his proxy over to any
body nor would he vote to seat
Roosevelt delegates when he thought
they had no title. Later on in the
contest, when it became certain that
if Roosevelt should withdraw some
third candidate might be nominated,
and when the colonel fatty refused
to let himself be taken out of the way.
Senator Borah told him what he
thought of him in terms more en-
phatic than polite, and practically
washed his hands of his campaign.
True to his instincts, Col Roosevelt
sent out ukase that a Progressive
candidate should be put into the field
against him, and Senator Borah is go
ing home to enter the three-cornered
fight. 81 am for many things that
are written in the Bull Moose plat
FORM" said he, but I was for them
long before there was such a party,
and some of them I have already
helped to write into law. The Roose-
welt platform calls for a child labor
bureau. That is already a law. 1t
calls for the direct election of senators
and that has been done so far as it is
within the power of congress to do it.
IT calls for the eight-hour law and
that is on the statute books. 1t GER
tainly is not necessary to. leave the
party to fight for things
which the Republican party has al
ready accomplished, = do not think it
is necessary to leave the Republican
PARTY to fight for any of the other re-
forms the colonel is advocating. To
talk of leaving the Republican party
because of it's bosses is asinine. There
are bosses in the new party and there
will be in every party. L think can
best serve my state as a Republican
senator standing up for the principles
for which 1 have been fighting all
these years" For these reasons the
senator declared that he expected to
advocate the reelection of President
Taft and to do all he could to main
tain the ascendency of the Republican
party.
Senator Borah formerly lived in
Kansas. He is a big man physically
and mentally and his moral courage
and integrity have never been Ques-
toned. He sat as a member of the
rational committee and heard all the
testimony in all the contests. If he
believed President Tafts nomination
had been stolen, nobody who knows
him will doubt for moment that he
would utterly refuse to give him his
support The fact that he is to go
on the stump for the president is lit
lie less than conclusive evidence that
the. charges against the integrity of
Lae presidents nomination are wholly |
foundation.
1t is characteristic of him that he
axes sides squarely and does not at |
empt, as some others have done, to
ide the elephant and the bull moose
Il the same time. He understands fully |
hat the Progressive party is not a
mere bolt from the Republican party |
tut that it is a wholly distinct organ |
cation, the purpose of which is to de- |
,troy the Republican party if it can. |
f there is any doubt in the mind OF |
Inv one that such is its purpose a re- !
,ent statement by William H. Walker, |
he Missouri national committeeman of |
he new third term party, ought to
settle it. lie closed a long statement |
.ecently as to the purposes of the new
with this declaration:
we expect to wreck the Republican |
party in November" That is precisely |
what Col. Roosevelt intends to do If |
le can, and it is what every man who ]
yotes for him will be helping to do |
IF course, the right of any man who |
lesires to do this cannot be question |
ID. but there ought to be no misunder- |
standing as to the effect of a vote for |
Roosevelt 1t is a vote ito wreck the |
party"