The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-04-06
Thursday, March 8, 1916.
THE LOGIC OF THE NOMINATION
OF Mr.. ROOSEVELT.

OF Mr.. ROOSEVELT.
Events are fast shaping themselves
for the fulflment Of what some dis
corning students of contemporary his
| tory have seen was most probable for
many months, Mr. Roosevelt will be
the nominee of the united opposition
to Mr.. Wilson and his party in the
coming presidential election That is
the logic OF the situation. Cross cur
rents Of political desire and scheming
cannot affect the sweep of the tide.
If partsans and prophets viii look at
the thing, not from the angle of their
preiudices or Of superficial calcula
ton but from the point of view of
what is according to strict reason in
the conditions, they will see that this
outcome is well nigh inevitable.
1t may be that the day has not gone
by forever when the president will be
Nominated and elected on basis OF
mere political tactics and compromise,
but in this present crisis of world al
fairs the choice Of leadership is bound
to turn on great fundamental issues.
Just playing the game won't 90 in
this serious and solemn time We
have had national elections when TO
stay in or to get the other side out to
keep or to capture the Offices. had most
TO do with shaping the platform and
determining the nomination But that
cannot happen in this election. The
business is too big, and the conse-
quences too momentous. The rank
and file Of the vast electorate, whether
petty politicians agree or disagree
whether they are happy or unhappy
over it, win insist on voting for prin
ciples and the men that most clearly
and positively represent those prin
ciples Therefore it is Theodore
Roosevelt against Woodrow Wilson
II is written in the courses CT the
stars.
The sentiment fer Justice Hughes
will abate from now on. OF course the
attempt viii be made to strengthen it.
and by news reports it may seem to
be increasing here and there. But ii
is simply not in the logic Of the stua-
ton to nominate Mr. Hughes The
| demand for him is based mainly on
the idea Of harmony between factions,
or the getting together of spit
party; il is the familiar, time-worn de
mand Of political compromise and
smooth REIMBURSEMENT That does not
meet the issue of new day. The in.
terest in Mr.. Hughes is essentially a
fictitious one, and the popularity OF
his name does not root deep. No one
questions the exceeding ability Of Mr.
hughes or his high.mindednes and
fine character But he is not n repre-
sentative man in this great hour; he
lncarnates no battling idea, he IS not
the crusader of vital cause His di
rect political influence passed when
he left the goyefn0rship. We may
cherish a respect for his opinions
whatever they be- they would be sin
ceroly held and earnestly spoken. Bu
ne has not spoken these opinions, anC
cannot speak them with proprietl
while in his judicial Office He woult
need to resign from the Suprem,
Court and 80 before the public ayow
edly as a candidate for the Presideuc.
In order to make his convictions an,
policies known 1t is not reasonable
TO think ne will do this. 1t would no
be wise for him TO do it.
Then Mr. Hughes has this disqual
fcation for the Presidency. 1t is
fact which some of his admirers hav
forgotten. Mr. Hughes gave up poit
cal life because 1t was distastoful 4
him. He said so And he was consis
tent here, His record is of fghtin
well, but OF not fighting through +
the very end--he got tired. No ma,
who is not aggressive to the limit
and knows neither WEAKNESS nor dis
relish In the enterprise Of politics am
government, is the most fit captai,
for the voting hosts Of any party o
parties in this hour,
Agree with Mr.. Roosevelt or moi
love him or hate him, every man il
this mighty commonwealth of state
knows what he stands for and wha
he means. 1t is that tremendous posi-
uyeness Of conviction and capacit
for leadership which is nothing shor
Of genius that inevorably mark hin
as the champion of the people who ar
dissatisfied with Mr.. Wilson and hi
party and wish a radical change il
the administration Of our national al
fairs. In the struggle between Nj
Roosevelt and Mr.. Wilson the diyidm.
line could not be more sharply drawn
and none can mistake on what side h
ought to be or wants to be. The issu
Of that impending duel is likely to dc
termine the destiny of the Republi
for the next fifty years.