The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-02-26
AtL''lWATcH' B0IRAH
REPUBLICANS AND PRoeREs IS.
IVES DEEPLY INTERESTED IN
HIS FUTURE COURSE.
WILL He JOIN THE LATTER
Nearly All Their Principles Are En-.
dorsed by the Idaho senator--t4is
90 Significant Words In a New
sf4'' York Speech.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

| ington Progressiyes and Republicans,
yes, and Democrats, too, today are dis
cussing the probable future political
attitude of Senator William L. Borah
OF Idaho. The senator, as is known,
is progressive Republican. He has
just made a speech to the great Re-
publican club Of New York which has
led to comment and speculation in
Washington by the members of all the
political parties.
When the Republican national COM
mittee met in Washington last Deem
Der, several progressive Republicans
were invited to address the members.
William e. Borah was one of them.
He was the only Republican of known
progressive instincts and.actions who
declined in any way TO mollify the
committeeman by intimating that he
knew whatever action they took with
reference to calling an extraordinary
convention OF the Republican party
would be actuated by high motives.
The senator did not urge the calling
of national convention and he was
the only one OF the progressive Re-
publicans who took this negative
course. ..
1t was said at the time that Mr. Bor-
ah declined to stand, with other pro-
pressive Republicans in favor of an
extraordinary convention of the Re-
publican party to regulate southern
representation and toSdo other things
in an attempt to appease the men who
left the party, because he thought that
such convention would be dominated
largely by men who dominated che
Taft convention in 1912 g..
Will He Join Prosressives?
Recently when Champ Clark in a
speech at Baltimore prophesied that
Borah would be the nominee OF the
Republican party for the presidency
in 1916, the Idaho man replied by re-
pudiating all suggestion OF ambition,
and by saying certain fine things
about the great leader Of the Progress
i've party which made ii appear to
some persons that he had high hope
that the Republicans would find some
means of endorsing Theodore Reose-
welt for the presidency. While the
senator may have had nothing in
mind except the amalgamation OF the
Republican and the Progressive par
ties, there was that in what he said
which for some reason or other had
made the Progressive leaders believe
it is within the range OF possibilities
that ere long there will be a new
recruit fully enlisted in the ranks OF
the new party. Are they right?
The Progressives in Washington,
while apparently hopeful that Mr..
Borah eventually will join their ranks,
are somewhat disappointed because in
his recent speech he did not come out
squarely and sharply in favor of kick
ing the bosses out of the Republican
party. Mr. Borah said the ranks must
rule, but the Progressives say he
should have called the bosses by name
and have declared their departure
from the party was an absolute neces-
sity before any thought Of amalgams-
ton could be entertained '. 90 ...'
In his speech before the New York
Republican club Mr.. Borah, however,
said a most significant thing. 1t did
not stand out as a paragraph by itself.
1t was wedged in between material OF
much less political moment. The Pro
gressive leaders in Washington today
are reading and rereading these words
of Borah:
If the Republican voters are not
progressive in the true sound sense
OF the term, then the way for some of
US Is clear
intimation Is Strong.
Now, 1t is perfectly true that the
senator said nothing about kicking the
bosses out az means OF strengthen
ing the Republican party by the re-
enlistment of the men who left it on
principle in 1912, but he did give the
strong intimation" that If the voters
OF the Republican party did not take
matters into their own hands and in
sist on such progressivism as that
for which Mr.. Borsh stood when he,
while still remaining Republican, sup
ported Theodore Roosevelt, his way
was clear. What way? Does the APP
pointed way lie along the path which
leads into the Progressive party:
Borah is good deal OF power by
sheer force Of his personality. II is
known that the Progressives would
like to have him enlist under their
banner In almost everything except
possibly the recall of judicial de-
cisions the Idaho man agrees with the
resolutions adopted by the Progress
ives at their Chicago convention in
August. Is months ago.
Two years ago this winter in this
correspondence this question was ask
ed, What of Borah?" Roosevelt did
not know whether he was to have the
support Of the Idaho man, and Tart
did not know whether he was to get it.
The story OF what he did in the cam
paign Is well known.
II Is likely, on the strength OF his
speech In New York, that this ques-
ton OF two years ago will become
one OF the questions OF the winter
What OF Borah?" Let, two dozen
words OF what he said one recent
night be repeated: IF the Republican
voters are not progressive In the true
sense OF the term. then the way Tor
some OF us 10 elesr."p.'9 ~ W