Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-02-18
Bismarck, Wednesday, February 10, 1914
The "Wreck" Ofl9l2

The "WTeck" OF 1917
Senator William E. Gorah Of Idaho, addressing
the Republican Club OF New York, at the Lincoln
celebration, made a notable analysis OF what he call
ed the wreck" of 1912. Coming from a far west.
ern state, where the Progressive element removed
a few of the rails which made the wreck possible,
it was hardly to be expected that the analysis would
be entirely free from the note OF apology which many
Republicans still inject into their comments on the
situation as it exists today and as it existed when
the wreck occurred. There is a too prevalent dis.
position to concede, to conciiate, to admit that, after
all, the Progressive position was correct, and to &C
cept with meekness the Christening that was admins
tered. There still are leaders who shy away from
the word, "standpatter,' as though standing pat for
genuine Republicanism is an undiluted evil and not
the part of wisdom.
In his contention that the signs of the times were
woefully misread by those who believed the Repub.
lican party was killed in the wreck, Senator Boral
unquestionabiy is correct, but there are abundant
evidences that his general diagnosis is faulty Loyal
Republicans, who stood. firm against the wreckers,
who "stood pat" on the fundamental principles of
Republicanism, cannot accept the conclusion that the
present status of the party is one of mere resusci-
tation, that: those who. dared to tear down are now
daring to build up" That is not the situation as it
exists today or as it ever did exist. r-
Those mistaken Republicans who followed the
lead of the. wreckeIs saw, long ago, the mistake they
had made. The inauguration of Woodrow Wilson
was a convincing object lesson. They quickly real.
lied that they had been made the dupes of the party
wreckers, and at every opportunity. which has since
presented itself they have, by tens Of thousands,
made evident their determination not to repeat the
mistake. If there is one indisputable fact in con-
nection with the campaign of 1912 and the events
that have succeeded it, that fact is this: The spec
tacular personality of Theodore Roosevelt swept
hundreds of thousands of Republicans off their feet,
and the SOLDERING effects of the campaign of 1912
are putting them back on their feet again.
TO stand pat" is not to stand with eyes fixed
on the past, to close them to the ~paplpable facts of
political history, to blind them to the possibility of
mistakes having been made by the Republican party.
Still less is it to defy the trend Of times that de-
mand progress or to look at the future through q
looking'glass instead Of a telescope. The word.
"standpatter," has been egregiously misconstrued by
those who have seized upon it as a term of %opprobri
UNI. Any man of sense Stands pat on conditions
that, in his opinion, are for the best. The Progress
sive remnants are standing pat on their own weird
and fatuous policies and principles. To stand pat"
from the Republican point Of view, is merely to act
consistently upon the assumption that the principles
~N~ VI SAO. ASOpuoIlSdA pa ~ liz j JuO
best interests Of the country, and the party. It is to
say that the policies and principles which have ad-
ministered the affairs of the country with. unexam.
pied wisdom and prosperity for fifty years are wise.
1t Is not to say that no errors have ever crept into
that long and distinguished history. 1t is not to say
1nat no undesirable leaders have ever found their
way to3the council tables Of the party. It is not to
say that no changes should be made. 1t is not to
say that no forward step should be taken. 1t is not
TO say that c~onsummate wisdom and patriotism have
characterized every act of every leader on the par.
TVS roll. -
Senator Borah is eminently right when he declares
that the Republican party is in process of evolution,
rather than of revolution. 1t has always been in
evolution. 1t has always, as 4 party, been amenable
to the, conservative progressiveness of changing con.
d0ions. Its platforms show steady and consistent
responsiveness to the safe and sane advancement
OF the nations welfare. 1t cannot be charged with
inconsistency, because it has not taken up every
iake and lag f a9ditical restlessness. 1t has been
tne main Zine" q the GcOuntry's progress and pros
peerty and the wreck" occurred only when a sue
cessful effort was made to slunt it to sidelines which
Leu to the realization Of selfish personal ambitions.
The party energies from the wreck" but not in
any frame OF mind: to concede that it ought TO have
been wrecked. Those who helped in that lamentable
tragedy are among the injured quite as emphatically
- tnose Who did their utmost to avert it. Precau.
lions Will be- TAKEN in the nature of things, to pre-.
vent q repetition of the disaster. Weak places will
be made strong. Possibly the personnel Of the oper.
atfng force Will be subjected to incidental changes,
but 1t Is uncomfortable that there will be any whole
sale discharge of the faithful, and especially that the
train will he turned over to the wreckers with the
supine admission that the whole system on which
the train was being operated was wrong. Instead OF
those who dared to- tear down now daring to build
up, multitudes of those who were misled into tearing
down are now doing all they can to repair the mis-
chief wrought and IN THIS comnaendable work they
are being opposed only by the survivors of the wreck