The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-23
Believe He Is Planning to
Capture the Party.
HE MAY RIDE THE ELEPHANT.
Still Maintains That He Never
Left the Organization.
Political Situation Has Left
BristOw High and Dry.

tariff and currency. They have their
eye on Theodore Roosevelt and the
activity of some of his Heutenants,
and are giving some attention to the
general plan OF rebuilding the Repub-
lean party. Two important develop
ments of the week relating to the
future of the Republican party stand
out very clearly.
The Republican leaders. progress
sive as we'll as regular have come TO
the conclusion that Theodore Roose-
Welt will enter the Republican prest-
Dental primaries in 1916, in the hope
of capturing the Republican nominal
ton.
The work of calling a convention to
reorganize the Republican party and
try to rehabilitate 1t as a militant
much longer delayed. Senator Cum
minis today told the Topeka State
Journal correspondent that unless con-
gress adjourns by September 1, the in
structions of the recent session of the
Republican national executive COM
mittee in Washington for the calling
of the national committee within
sixty days after the adjournment of
congress" would not be strictly OBJ
served, but that a movement would be
started at once for calling the COM
mittee together, looking to a national
convention of conference. Mr.. Cum
minis is of the opinion that the matter
is of too much Importance to be de-
layed waiting for congress to adjourn.
In view of the fact that there is no
possibility of the adjournment of con-
gress before September l, it appears
to be a foregone conclusion that the
Republican national committee will be
asked to meet in october or Novem
Der to discuss plans for rehabilitating
the organization.
His Friends Active.
Whether the growing impression
among Republicans in congress that
Colonel Roosevelt is out to capture
the party nomination in 1916 has has
tened the plans looking to reorganiz-
ing and rebuilding the party, cannot
be accurately stated, and of course
Republican leaders would not admit
that the coloneis suspected plans have
moved them to renewed energy. But
there has been much discussion, espec- !
tally in the senate, within the past
week, of the activity of Roosevelt's
friends and it's possible significance.
Ormsby McHarg, former assistant
secretary of the department of COM
merce and labor and one of the prom
inent supporters of Roosevelt during
the last campaign, who has been trav-
cling in the middle west giving inter
views to the effect that the Republi- !
cans ought to get together and nomi- |
nate Roosevelt as the only means of !
reuniting the party for victory, may
he pursuing personal and private bust !
ness matters, but he is suspected here
of being personal envoy of George w. |
Perkins.
1t will be recalled that Mr.. McHarg
went through the south and west on a
kins before Colonel Roosevelt an
nOunced his purpose to be a candidate |
against President Taft. The plans of
the Bull Moose followers in Chicago |
for dinner to Roosevelt about Sep
TENDER l are not without significance
to politicians in Washington.
Leading Republicans admit that
Colonel Roosevelt will prove danger
Gus factor in the situation if he can
force his name on the ballot in the
presidential primary states. The pop
ularity of the presidential primary IS
growing. and it is believed that prac- |
tically all of the states will provide /
for the election of delegates to the ma
tional convention in 1915 by popular |
vote. Unless some way can be found |
to keep Roosevelt's followers in the |
campaign of 1916 from participating
in the primaries, it is conceded that |
he will control the situation in a num- |
her of important states. The men who |
followed his fortunes into the new
Progressive party in 1912 will not
be adverse to enlisting under his ban /
vote for him as a nominal Republican |
than as a third party man.
Like the Lost Indian.
Politicians in congress never have !
withheld their confidence in Colonef !
Roosevelt as a shrewd politician. They !
third party movement is crumbling.
Colonel Roosevelt has been quoted (
recently by friends saying that he
never left the Republican party but
that the Republican party left him.
The regular Republicans of the old I
school admit that the outlook is not /
encouraging. They believe that there /
is not in the Republican party any one
man who could probably make a |
strong race in the Republican primar- !
iac RnnSnNplf fHa il
dency, provided some way cannot be .
found to keep the men who followed I
Roosevelt into the new party last year I
from participating in the primaries. A /
way must be found to keep Roosevelt's
name off the ballot. But even this /
would make it necessary to offend !
probably a majority of former Repub- !
licsns in such important states as
Pennsylvania. Illinois, Indiana. Cali /
fornia. Massachusetts and the far |
western states.
Added to the complication is the |
fact that several progressive Republic |
can senators look forward to the per- |
lection of the Roosevelt plan as their /
own political salvation. Men like Sem /
ator Joe Bristow of Kansas. who 4
comes up for reelection next year and |
finds himself embarrassed by the fact /
that he is practically without n 4
party" would find in the Roosevelt I
candidacy a chance to regain his party |
regularity. The Kansas men who fol- |
lowed Roosevelt did so as Republicans. |
and this is true of some of the other /
western states.
Mr. Bristow keenIy feels his political !
predicament, and therefore has very /
wisely refrained from making public 1
his attitude on the present situation. /
Furthermore. he is making no predic- |
lions as to the probable political COM
pIexion of Kansas next year. He has
not even indicated that he will be a !
candidate for reelection. But that he /
will be is the strong be- !
lief of his close friends
The Breach i'm Kansas.
Because of the wide breach now ex-