Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1915-12-16
THE REPUBLICAN ROAD AHEAD.

Philadelphia Telegraph
George w. Perkins, the Bull Moose
check book of three years ago, fresh
from recent interviews with Colonel
Roosevelt is out west proclaming
that the Progressives will have a pref
dental ticket in the field next year.
Medill Mccormick, Progressive ma
tional committeeman, also fresh from
a talk with Col. Roosevelt" sees
reunited Republican party next year,
but the standpatters must not con-
troll.
There is enough in both these utter
ances for careful reflection. There are
some to follow Mr.. Perkins and are
for keeping together the remnants of
| the Bull Moose party at all hazards.
Whether there shall be enough of
these to be of real resistance in re-
| electing the present Democratic presi-
dent and another Democratic cong
ress obviously will depend upon the
candidate and the platform presented
by the Republican party. The con-
ditions which prevailed when the patty
split three years ago will not alto.
gether prevail in the coming cam
paign, but there are conditions which
cannot be well ignored.
Mr.. Mccormick is practically back
IN the Republican party and he has
the company of hundreds of thous-
ands-as recent elections show Of
those who voted the Bull Moose tick
ct in 1912. They are back because
they are dissatisfied with the policies
of the Democratic administration,
which squeezed into power thru the
! Republican division; because many of
them, ii not all, feel that the Repub-
lican party has been chastened by
its defeat and that they can do some
thing toward modelling its future pol
icies, because some of them from the
inside, they may be able TO have the
expectation that, working secure con-
troll of the party organization, and
make it in all things what the Pro-
| gressive party was intended for.
All the elements must unite for the
future and they must do it on COM
mon ground. The differences between
those who voted for Taft and those
| who voted for Roosevelt are not irrec-
oncilable. All are Republicans. What
the party must have in the circum-
stances is candidate who will be ac-
ceptable to both elements, and such
a candidate would permanently re-
unite the party. The nominee must
be representative of the party as
a whole, nominee chosen not by in
trigue and manipulation, but by the
voice Of the party people in accord
with the best principles and purposes
of the party.
II is not to be expected that all the
declarations of the Progressive plat
form that were made to catch tenn
porary popular breeze will be accepted
but many Of them have been en-
bodied in the Republican legislation
in some of the states, and more that
are practicable are sure to be- These
are fair concessions; and only prac-
teal stupidity will deny them. as
only political stupidity will deny reas-
enable consideration of the returning
voters in the nomination of presi-
Dental candidate.
Nothing is TO be gained by arbitrary
action on either side. Concessions are
essential. The Republican party Is
scheduled for triumph next year,
but it will win that triumph only by
harmonious and united action both in
the choice of its candidate and the
formulation Of its platform.