New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-15
The Logical Candidate.

The quick and wide response TO The
Tribune's Roosevelt editorial is as signiii-
cant as it is gratifying. There is some
dissent, of course. A good many Repub-
licans are still unreconcied to the
thought Of accepting as their Presidential
candidate a man who, on the face OF the
record. left the party in 1912, and who IS
not now in any ordinary sense an asplran'
for the Republican nomination. Those who
hold this vew-and rhey include in their
number majority Of the active politicians
arc engrossed with the purely mechani-
cal aspects Of politics. They cannot un-
derstand that an exceptional situation
brushes aside all rules. They cannot real
ize that there are crises in national history
when the office must seek the man-when
a party with the country's welfare at
heart must draft the leader who measures
up best TO the emergency.
This is a peculiar campaign. Most Re-
publicans are agreed that the choice OF the
party for President has narrowed down to
two men-Colonel Roosevelt and Justice
Hughes. But neither of these is seeking
the nomination. Minor candidates are
running in the state primaries and picking
I'D delegates at state and district conven-
tons. The avowed candidates and many
of the delegates so far chosen are taking
these proceedings more or less seriously
instead of seeing that the abstention from
them of the two men between whom the
party's real choice lies makes impossible
this year any real use of the machinery Of
primary elections.
The politicians. who seldom look below
the surface of situation, are disconnected
and puzzled. Those of them who can are
themselves getting elected as delegates to
the national convention. either without IN
structons or with instructions which Will
lose their binding force after few ballots.
What they are thinking and saying now is
not Of very great consequence. What they
will do at Chicago next June will be deter
mined by the logic of situation which IS
now developing. The force Of that logic
must absolutely control the action Of the
Chicago convention. if the Republican
party is to reestablish its credit and TO
prove once more its competency to take
charge of the affairs of the nation.
We feel confident that the more Repub-
lican sentiment crystallizes-the sentiment
Of the voters. as contrasted with the senti
ment of the politicians-the more irresist-
ible will be the pressure for Colonel Roose-
velts nomination. There is but one issue
in sight-an issue created by President
Wilson's woful diplomatic blunders, by
his wiful neglect of military prepara-
ton and by the recent exposures Of the
vast ramifcations here Of hyphenated dis
loyalty.
The Republican party must choose
Presidential candidate who stands for
Americanism without hyphenation. dilu-
ton or compromise. II must select man
whose record and views are in the strong
est contrast possible with the record and
views of President Wilson. whose renom-
jnatjon by the Democrats is assured. 1t
must put itself into position to make an
aggressive. relentless fight against the
vacillations in foreign policy through
which Mr.. Wilson has wrecked our ma
tional prestige and the sham preparedness
favored by him TO which we owe our pres
ent impotence to protect American lives
and honor or 10 make good our just claims
even against a lettering, poverty-strlcken,
disorganized government like that of
Mexico
Colonel Roosevelt stands prominently
for everything which the next Republican
candidate for President ought TO stand
for. His nomination would be the best
possible solution of the Republican prob
lem. The Republican party saved the
Union, crushed sectionalism and intro
duced new conceptions of nationalism into
American life by electing Abraham Lin
coin President in 1860.
We are now facing another great crisis
In national development. Are we 70 lift
ourselves 70 a new level Of unity and eff
cheney as a nation, or are we TO continue
TO muddle along. trusting for our security
70 the good will OF strangers and for the
maintenance Of our interests TO arbitra-
ton treaties and mellifuous diplomatic
hottest
On the single issue In sight In this cam
paign Colonel Roosevelt is beyond ques-
ton the man who can serve both the Re-
publican party and the country best
'Unayo:dable" Accidenfs