The Washington herald., 1915-04-11

Editor of The Washington Herald: An
editorial In The Washington Herald Oh
April 4, 1915. is deserving OF attention
from every Republican who wishes ZOE
his party national success In the cleo
ton Of 1916.
II Mr.. Roosevelt Is intending to help
achieve such success II is the duty OF all
Republicans to welcome his assistance
without reproaching him In any way for
ANYTHING he has said or done in the past.
In 1906 the Republican party seemed
hopelessly controlled by trusts anu the
money power. 1t would have gone on 10
overwhelming defeat by the action OF
discouraged reform Republicans IN ice
IL II had not been for Mr.. Roosevelts
leadership in reform principles and meas
ures He spoke and acted boldly, made
his administration an instrument Tor. the
salvation of the party adopted his asso-
ciate Secretary Taft. as his candidate
and as a reform candidate, and was the
dominating force in the victory Oh ms
successor in the Presidential ONCE IN
all this effective and successful work Mr..
Roosevelt was not faultless- NO nan
with his wonderful intelligence and force
in human affairs ever was perfect in his
plans and methods. He made a mistake
in selecting Mr. Taft as his successor as
a reformer. for in the latter st9teman
whole career he was never whoie-
hearted and sincere and energetic pro-
gressive, solicitous for the success OF the
reform measures which came up Tor con-
sideration during his administration. ana
some of which were adopted by tne re
publican PARTY Yet Mr.. Roosevelt also
made a mistake In becoming candidate
against Mr.. Taft in 1872 and In helping
to send to defeat the party which mad
honored thera both. and in placing In
national power the Democratic party and
the "watchful Waiting" President, Wood
row Wilson.
But these mistakes are in the past If
Mr. Roosevelt is now willing disinterest-
eddy to give all his wonderful energies TO
the defeat of Wilson and the election OF
the Republican nominee for President in
1916 his services to help restore to power
in the nation the grand old party which
met the defeat which the President whom
he had selected as his successor brought
about should be accepted without any OF
the reproach which The Herald article
seems to imply that Mr.. Roosevelt de-
serves 1t would not be difficult for me
to state serious faults of Mr.. Roosevelt.
but on the other hand I could repeat
unstinted eulogies l have uttered both
before and since he began in 1905 to re-
form the Republican party and to strike
blows against the mass of malefactors
of great wealth whose crimes were lead
ing the Republican party to defeat too
much deserved. Mr.. Roosevelt should be
taken as he is, wonderful and powerful
character and should be gladly welcomed
and co-operated with whenever he Is
right as he now promises to be.
The Republican party needs to be eau
tious and not reactionary- 1t must lay
a side animosities and not seek to punish
of any grade even those
who so fatally bolted President Taft when
a candidate for reelection in 1872, that
he only obtained eight ELECTORAL votes.
while President Wilson received 5h. II
a spirit of revenge prevails on the part
of the old guard to any considerable ex-
tent, the Republican party will again
fail In that spirit 1t cannot carry all
the Northern States necessary to over
come the Democratic solid South, which
Is made solid by suppressing the votes
of the colored population who furnish to
that section forty electoral votes, which,
II the fifteenth amendment of the Con-
stitution was not wicked!y disobeyed.
would make Republican victory sure even
with many internal dissensions in our
ranks But as the conditions actually
are Republican national defeat will come
without such harmony as can be best
secured by accepting with cordially and
friendship and with no reproaches the
offer of Mr. Roosevelt to help US to
achieve victory.
WILLIAM T CHANDI Err