The Washington times., 1915-04-19
BORAH UNHAMPERED
BY POLITICAL HOPES
Not a Candidate for President,
But Opposes G. 0. P. ReaC-
tionaries.

Senate Borah OF Idaho. before leav-
ing Washington last week for the West
said he was not candidate for the
Republican nomination for President.
and would not become one.
Senator Borah said he would accept
il nominated, but that he proposed to
speak his convictions 'as free man.
wholly unhampcred by political aspi-
rations.''
The Idaho Senator says plain talk Is
necessary. and candidate Is a slave"
Persons who know senator Borah per-
sonally and have had previous evt-
dences of his sincerity fully accept
his word that he is not candidate for
the nomination. They believe, as he
plainly intimates. that his announce
ment was designed to give him a free
hand In the matter of criticisng Condi-
tions In his own party without the sus-
picion that he was actuated by a sell
fish motive.
Confers With RoOseeJlt.
The significance of Senator Borah's
statement is all the more important in
view OF the fact that he is one of the
Republican leaders who have been con-
ferring with Colonel Roosevelt. In fact.
Senator Borah had a talk with Colonel
Roosevelt yesterday in New York city.
The unanimous opinion is that Sena-
tor Borah intends to speak his nina
plainly against efforts that may lie
made to commit the Republican party to
"A pronounced reaCtionary program, and
that he desires to be freed of any tram
mcls that would result from his an
nouuCcd candidacy for the nomination.
The feeling has gradually been grow
ing among Republicans of the so-callcd
progressive type that an attempt Is to
be made. under cover of the present
unpopularity of the Democratic Admin
istration. TO discredit the fruits Of the
progressive movement within the RC-
publican party and to let the political
I pendulum swing back to the place where
| IL stood in the old days when methods
not now tolerated were freely employed
in both parties In fact. the conviction
| has been growing among Republicans
OF this class that plans arc being mad"
! for a complete rcaCtionary swing in
| the Republican party.
For Far-seeing Policy.
No more shortsghted policy could be
| followed by the Republican party, in
the opinion of these mon. Under the
dissatisfaction with the Wilson Admin
! istration ii is possible that the party.
| with such a program might win in
| 1916. but the progressives arc arguing
| that it would be a barren victory: that
! the so-Callcd progres ssive fight of the
| last four or five years would have TO
| he fought again, and that the party
| would once moro find itself split from
| one end to the other. The sooner the
| G.. o. P leaders understand that the
| Republicans of the West must be rec
| ognized and a voice given to them on
| tho framing OF the party's program the
| sooner, it is argued. will there be COM
| plcte harmony and restoration of Re-
| publican rule.
| In this connection Senator La Fol-
| lette's recent statement is significant:
| "Politicians who think progressivisn
! Is dead are mistaken" said he. There
! Is as much progressiVism as there cveI
was, and they'll find il out II they carry
| through their program of nominating
the worst hardshcll Republican they car
find. The result will be as wide di'
| vision as there was last time-either be-
fore or after the nomination has beer
made"
Wilson Courting Bull Moose.
In this connection II already Is ap
parent that the Wilson Administration
| is counting upon an excessive swing ot
the controlling Republican leaders to
ward reactionary program to hell
them out Of the hole. Tho President al
ready has this in mind. and through hi'
speeches has begun to invite the Bull
| MC<:crs to Join the Democratic ranks.
The belief here is that Colonel Roose
velt himself will eventually be foun,
supporting with all his vigor and re
source fulncss Just such move as Il
now crystallizing within the Republican
|