New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-05
MIR. Taft's Mistake.

i MS newspaper SupENA tSN VA AN''N
Taft in 1912: it can therefore speak now
upon his recent comment without exposing
itself 10 the suspicion that its views are
influenced by any bitterness or hostility
Having said this. it is necessary to declare
that The Tribune believes that Mr.. Taft
is wholly and unqualifedly mistaken in his
assertion that a majority Of Republicans
desire to win with a regular Republican
in the coming Presidential election and
prefer defeat TO victory under any other
circumstances.
The Tribune does not believe that any
considerable number Of Republicans have
any such feeling. 1t believes that the
main desire Of Republicans Of every
variety is for leadership, for honest, cour-
ageous. fortnight leadership 1t believes
that never in the long history Of the party
was there greater hunger for real leader
shin. and it says frankly that never did
leadership seem to it so utterly lacking.
Mr.. Taft. The Tribune believes, has mis-
taken the views of a certain number OF
Republican politicians for those of the
rank and file of the men who made up
the party before the break Of 1912. These
politicians prefer to lose with regular
70 winning with a Progressive, because the
election of a Progressive would be a double
defeat for them. They are eager and
anxious to see the old ideas, the old meth
DDS. the old system. of which they are the
chief survivals, continued. They are not
eager to obtain, but TO escape, moral lead
ership of any sort.
These Republican politicians have calcu-
lated the whole progress of future events
with the utmost care and effort. Ihey
,erceive that Mr.. Wilson has become IN
nonular: they perceive that he has alien
ated all the German-American votes and
NOT few of the American. They are able
10 estimate, pencil in hand, how many
votes have been lost, and by adding these
votes to the Republican column they can
figure out the victory Of any candidate
named at the next Republican National
Convention. Since it is so easy and so
simple. on paper, they favor the nominal
ton of an old-line Republican and they
denlore the expression Of opinion by Ke-
publican candidates and newspapers which
MIGHT turn the German-American votes
back TO the Democratic party.
The programme Of these Republican
leaders. or bosses. or politicians (the name
Is uniuportant). is already cut and dried.
Various states viii go to the national con
vention with "favorite sons" practically
all Of them of the old, regular stripe.
The delegates will be carefully picked, and
IN the convention the "favorite son" most
satisfactory to the machine will be Sc
lected. The more unpopular Mr.. Wilson S
administration is in the summer the more
IRREGULAR" will be the nominee. But if Mr..
Wilson's prospects have improved, or II
Colonel Roosevelt is at that time peril,
then. after a few ballots, the handpicked
delegates will nominate Justice Hughes by
reclamation.
Now. there are two difficulties in the way
h. Of such programme. neither Of which
M is reckoned with by the politicians, who
y have no interest in principles, no apprecla-
ton of national emotion or sentiment and
no political doctrine later than 1896. The
first of these is found in the prospects OF
Colonel Roosevelt, the second in the proba-
blities of Justice Hughes. Together
these things, in the opinion Of The Trib-
une. will wreck the calculations Of the
Republican machine politicians.
In the case Of Colonel Roosevelt The
Tribune does not believe that the rank
and file of the Republican party now de-
sire his nomination. his personal popu-
iaritv remains considerable, but his per-
sonal unpopularity is equally considerable.
The rank and file of the Republicans do
desire leadership; they do desire to see
their party stand straight and square on
the great issue of the next campaign-the
issue Of Americanism versus cowardlce.
They desire to support candidate who
will dare to assert American principles,
and they are not anxious to win by de
fault and simply by the fact that Mr.. Will
son has lost the German-American vote.
The rank and file Of the Republican party
are as patriotic as they ever were, and
tbev are not looking 10 sneak into power.
Colonel Roosevelt's growing strength
lies in the fact that he has the courage
10 speak OUT he is saying what thousands
believe and he is steadily annexing 10 his
own political fortunes the support not
alone of old trends and admirers, not
alone of Republicans, but Of men of all
parties who believe that there should be
courage and manhood in our public life
II orr International relations. Colonel
Roosevelt too, is entitled to annex this
support. at the present time, because he
IS the only man in public life who has
taken the risks of such utterance; ne has
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