The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-03-24
SEE ANOTHER SPLIT.
POLITICIANS PREDICT SECOND
DIVISION IN RANKS OF RE-
PUBLICAN PARTY.
SHOWN IN LEADERS ACTIONS
Progressive Republicans, Conservative
Republicans and Proeresslves
May Fight Three-sided Battle
Against Democracy.
BY GEORGE CLINTON

WaShlngtOn.-Some or the pOtlIl-
clans in Washington are predict
ing that before long there will be
another division in the, ranks of
the Republican party. The Pro
gressives are no longer to be consid-
cred as Republicans although some
men, probably for reasons of their
own, continue SO to call them. The
! split which some OF the politicians
here see in the future is one between
/ the progressive Republicans and the
conservative Republicans who until
recently showed symptoms of willing
ness and intention to stick together
It seems to be true that the indica-
tons which are seen of a second di-
vision of the Republican house are
shown only in the actions of the lead
ers of the two factions in congress.
| If the ranks of Republicanism Of this
country have made up their minds to
| keep companionship no matter what
the leaders may do, then the poll
ticians say the split Will be averted.
Some of the expressions of opinion
and some of the sharp criticisms of
conservative, or if you will. reaction
airy Republicanism, which are coming
almost dailv from the lips OF the pro-
gressive Republican leaders in con-
gress, give color to the politicians
predictions that before another ma
tional campaign rolls around the Re
publican party may find itself divided
again, unless the leaders of the two
factions manage to patch up peace.
Three-Sided Battle Possible.
If some of the politicians. Demo
Gratis and Progressives for the main
part, are right in this matter, and of
course it may be that the wish is
father of the thought, it is possible
that in the next campaign there will
be Progressives progressive Republi-
cans and Republicans to fight three
sided battle against the hosts of De-
mocracy. There are men here who
say that there may be another party
or faction in the field and that its
name will be that of the senior sena-
tor from Idaho, Mr. Borah
It Is pointed out here that the Idaho
senator seems to be about the only
progressive Republican in the senate
who seems to agree neither with what
the coloneFs enemies call Roosevelt
ism. nor with Republicanism as
espoused by Smoot, Penrose and the
other generals. In other words, Mr..
Borah seems to be flocking by him
self just at present. Perhaps this is
to his liking, for standing isolated he
can rap Colonel Roosevelt by rapping
as he has Mr. Perkins, or he can rap
Mr. Cummins by talking about the
futility of party convention for ANAL
gamation purposes, or he can rap Mr..
Penrose and men of his kind on gen
eral progressive Republican prin-
cip1es.
Why Is it that some of the poll
ticians think that there is danger of
coming split in the Republican party?
Political observers here who hold that
a split is likely say that the progress
sive Republican leaders while refusing
to ally themselves with the Progress
sive party, are nevertheless just as
stanchly Progressive as ever they
were, and that they have become
restless under the continued associa-
ton with Republican leaders whose
views are absolutely counter to those
of progressive Republicanism.
See Good In It.
No one here seems to think that If
this split shall come the progressive
Republicans will go in body into
the Progressive party. The thought
seems to be that they will stay by
themselves and will hope that some
thing will happen which eventually
will bring the Progressives. the pro-
gressive Republicans and the conserv-
alive Republicans together. It is even
limited in Washington that the pro-
gressive Republicans, think that they
can bring about an amalgamation bet
ter by non-intercourse for awhile with
| the conservative Republicans in
whose society they elected to remain
for some time than they can by fol-
lowing the fortunes of the Progressive
leader, Theodore Roosevelt.
Some of the Democrats in Washing
ton say that the best thing that can
happen to the Republican party from
political point of view will be an
other splitting of its ranks. Naturally
the Democrats do not care to see
the Republicans united again, but
those of the dominant party who say
that another division in the Republi-
can ranks would be good thing for
that party mean simply that when the
condition of dissension become so bad
as almost completely to disintegrate
the organization, the Republicans will
see the sharp necessity of getting to-
gether and will find or make means
to do it.
If another split shall come In the
ranks of Republicanism some of the
politicians of this city believe that
amalgamatton will be more quickly ac-
companied and that it will be forced
not by the leaders, but by the fol-
lowers. These same men predict that
in the platform of amalgamation there
will be no planks except those of Pro
gressivism. and that therefore the
Progressive victory will be won, al
though the Republicans may claim the
victory if they manage to keep for the
reorganized party its old party name,
Republican.