The chronicle=news., 1913-02-28

raper clack and the substantial as.
sistnnce OF certain prcsa associations.
II industriously striving to create
tho Impression throughout the conn
try that there " to be rcorganiza.
tlon Of the Republican PARTY. This
reofganixatlon according 10 plans
adopted by Republican senate lead.
erA IL tn bc effected through tho me-
dlum OF q national convention to lse
held sosn~ tim" next rali. Senators
Crane and Root ate most active In
Senator Root has issued abatement
In which he advocates the holding
OF such . convention. for two pur.
poses:
First: 70 make representation In
national conventions proportional to
tho Republican vote: TINT IL. cor
rectInK the disproportion In what is
spoken OF ax the Southern reprcsen.
tatiou.'
Second: TO permit tho RcpublI-
cans OF each stale to select delegates
to national conventions In their own
way. 10 that the choice In each state
will bc regulated according 10 tho
laws OF tho state
This means that Senator Root.
after having borne n prominent part
In tho Republican national convcn-
tion OF ISI: and after having de-
fcndcd that convention and the out
ragcs Il committed for many months.
now confe&rA that that coveEtion was
wrong and admits that provision
must bc made to Prevent II repetition
OF Il.
But while Senator Roots public
pronounccnicnf on the subject seems
to aim At really honest and praise
worthy object. nearly all OF the cir
cumstnnce6 attendant upon the effort
he and other old guard leaders are
making tend 10 confirm tho EuRpic-
Ion that thnlr real purpose is merely
to sct up another .talkinE-hors~ with
which to attend q dcccly" tho voters
And,, II possible. bind III. people
anew io Tho Party of Privilege and
Special Intesca,.''
| The proposed new Republican ma
tlonal convcntIon IL avowesily to bc
held In tho hoI" Of cnticinx hack to
their old allegiance numbers OF cx.
Republicans who loft their party aft
cr tho Ubiquitous convention OF last
year and Joined tho Progressive.
Party. The old guard boSscs have
no intention whatever or surrender
inE their grasp upon the party or
Eanixatton and machinery. They
have rome realization at lcnsth.
however. Of tho extent Ia which
they nrc discrctlI,ed througi,ou. tho
country and nrc seeking nm best they
can to mollify tho national diKtrust
OF themsclvcs In tho hopc Of climb
Ing back once moro 10 power.
| In this effort 10 repoiisb their
tarnished fame. ihcy arc adroitiy
making oil possible use Of certain
gentlemen who. having attained some
reputation for being progressive. stIil
continue TO act with the Republican
party. Chief OF these men are Sen
aiors la Toilette. of Wisconsin. Cum
mnlS. Of Iowa. and Torah. OF Idaho.
and cx-Covcruor Hadlcy Of Missouri.
Mr.. l.aFollalte came to Washing
ton With a loe9 record Of iistin-
Guishcsi progressive arhicvcIncnt and
he Improved that record In tho first
years Of his service here. but he
could not staud tho shock Of person-
al disappointment in 1919. when his
''.'.'s nd wil.iv rs,r."cd can
v.ss for Ito Itepuh.'!ar T.; ;ckisicntial
nomina, on failed a. arny.t "a pop.
u',r rSsi'orSe.
Mr.. Cuninins also came TO Wash
ington with q distinguished record
OF public achievement In his own
state. but he too failed to arouse
popular enthusiasm.
| Mr.. Dorah. after n varied and
somewhat stormy career In Idaho.
came TO Washington equipped In all
points save one for leadership among
tho proEressives In the senate. That
one was fatal inability or unwilling.
ness to take bold and uneQuivocal
staud when occasion demanded.
| Mr.. Hadlcv ia hest explained In
tho words which he himself wrote.
when he said. II am remaining reg
ular this year for reasons OF cNpc-
diency which might not obtain out
side OF Missouri"
| Tho plain truth is that thcsc men
are actuatcd by perfectly Legitimate.
but vision- n-,listortiEg personal ambi-
tion. Each OF them fancies that
somehow. sotneway. sometime. the
presidency may com" to him and
each OF them is shaping his course
with tina. ambition as his guiding
star. None of them. apparently. re-
alizes that ono OF the distinguishing
characteristics OF the awakened civic
conscience in the United States Is q
FOUND and enduring disgust for po
litical tight-rone walkers. Nothing
Is more admired by the average vot-
er nowadays than the courage which
leads Il public man 10 take clear
and uneQuivocai stand on one side or
tho other of public questions. nut
there Is no sound so sweet 10 the
ears OF the ambitious politician as
the subducd hummirg of tho pres
idential bee. although thera is no
music so subrersivc of sound jufg- |
ment and so destructive OF common |
sense.
The wise and willy politicians OF
tho old guard who are now directing |
the movement for Republican per |
| ification," understand this we'll |
With all the adroitness OF which |
they are masters. they have contriv-
cd to foster the impression with each
Of these psucdd.progressivc that he
is their choice. and will be the Rep
ublican convention Choice. for the