Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-16

NH throughout the country TO the
VI speech of United States Senator
Rorah at the Lincoln dinner in
New York city. AS one of the most
forceful and practical of the Pro-
gressives who has remained inside tho
Republican party to effect the reforms
which he believes are necessary to its
future usefulness. Senator Borah has
aroused greater interest in the work
of the Republican party during the
last few weeks than any other distln-
guished statesman of his day. Perhaps
The most striking sentence of his New
York speech was this;
mo one was there lat Chicagol
seeking honor and place at the hands
of the convention who would not have
been glad to utilize the party as a
party had the results been satisfac-
tory.
No ono will doubt the truth of this
statement. Had Roosevelt or Hadley
or Cummings or any other Of the emf
nent Republicans who were discussed
for the Presidency at that time been
Nominated by the convention then in
session there would have been no
question raised as TO the fairness or
legality of the nomination. In short,
the Republican party would not have
been divided and the Democracy would
not now be in control of the govern
ment.
Senator Borah pointed out in his
New York address the substantial
achievements of the Republican party
and the progressive character of the
LEGISLATION under Republican admins
trations. He also indicated very clearly
that those who persisted in maintain
ing q separate organization under the
plea that the Republican party Is
decadent are doing so for no other
purpose than to achieve their own
selfish ambitions AS one of the men
who stood with Roosevelt at Chicago
Until the Colonel bolted the party
Senator Borah's conclusions will have
unusual weight. He was in close
touch with all that transpired in the
convention of 1912 and his statements
regarding it's work must convince
many who have honestly believed that
there was something very unfair in
the construction and conduct of that
body. He pointed out that the con-
vention was conducted under the same
rules as the conventions of 1904 and
1908, in both of which Colonel Roose-
Welt was a dominant figure.
All over the country there is a
strong undercurrent of common sense
which Is sweeping back into the Re-
publican party those who were carried
away by their admiration for Colonel
Roosevelt in 1912. Practically every
election that has been held in the last
few months shows the back-to-the-
party movement everywhere. In Mary
land, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Califor-
nia-in all sections the rehabilitation
of the party is proceeding along sane
and reasonable lines. There has been
no growth of the Democracy in any
quarter. Whatever of success has
come to the party now in power has
been through the division of the Re-
publican forces.
Those ambitious gentlemen who
imagine that they can destroy the Re-
publican party for their own selfish
purposes cannot have studied the
enormous vote given for President Taft
under conditions which were discour.
aging from the very outset of the cam
paign. In short, there is a great body
of Republicans which has not and
cannot be swerved from the standards
of the party.
But there will be no permanent
restoration of the Republican party
unless and until the party leaders
everywhere recognize the mistakes OF
the past and turn their faces toward
the new standards and the principles
which are inherent in the Republican
faith.