New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-09
The Colonel and the Question OF
Running.

Nv .runninr for Governor the Progressive
tcket the Colonel will stamp the Progressive
,.-+r nc q mere means Of defeating the Repuph'
can party. That will not make the Progressive
marty strong That party has gone down as J"
has gone in the last two years largely because OF
its petty spirit Of opposition
u has one asset left--the Colonel That asset
will not be worth much II he lends himself 10 d
movement the end Of which is likely to be the
turning over Of the state again to Tammany Hall
rhos. who are urging the Colonel to accept the
nomination are selfish and bad advisers For tne
most part they are members OF the Progressive
marty organization. They look at the question
so,s,v from machine point OF view. The organ
ization would make better showing WIN uie
Colonel as its candidate than with any one else
., tho head Of It's ticket Therefore it wants him
TO run.
But ~ the Colonel retains any Of his odtime
political sagacity be will look at the question OF
running in its larger aspects. He VIII see MS
party stamped as a mere instrument OF senshnesS'
nersonal ambition or political meanness 1t VIII
have no issue Many honest people believed that
IL had an issue in 1912. The Tribune could not
agree with them, but there is no use debating
that old subject all over again.
Those who believed that it had an issue then
will not be able TO one this time 1hey Will
,oe tho interests of New York State being sacri-
feed in mere party maneuvres which look toward
1915. They will understand that the big issue this
wear is Tammany or anti-Tammany, and they VIII
see Colonel Roosevelt and his party refusing 10
line I'D on it for the sake of some fancied advan-
tace TO be gained in 1916 through making it
three cornered fight in this state this year.
There will be no issue for the Progressiyes IN
the Republican candidates. for the Repuohcans
will have strong candidates, acceptable to the
peopIe There will be no issue in the Republican
organization. for the Republican party will take
care Of Mr. Barnes before the campaign begins
The Proyressives will be on the defensive from
the outset They will have to explain all the time
WHY they are not helping to keep Murphy out OF
the Capitol They will leave the fight on Election
Day bankrupt in morals and with few votes more
votes if the Colonel runs than if any other candi-
date is presented, but still with few votes.
With the Republican party demoralized two
years ago the best the Colonel could do in this
state was TO run third But this year the Repub-
lean party is not demoralized 1t is strong It,
not the Progressive party, is profting by the
existing reaction against the Democratic party.
And there is no hope for any combination upon
the Colonel as a third party candidate. THE
World" neatly disposed of Mayor Mitchels sug
gestion that the independent Democrats fuse with
the Progressves. The independent Democrats
are strong Wilson men. How can they unite upon
the man who is loudest of all in his condemnation
OF the Wilson administration?
Another combination suggested is with Hearst
Roosevelt for Governor and Hearst for Senator
would be ticket with some strength, but 1t would
be almost as much the strength Of Hearst as If
Roosevelt. There would not be much for the
Progressive party in making the Colonel a twin
star with Hearst.