The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-29
READING THE POLITICAL SIGNS

READING THE POLITICAL SIGNS.
Under the above caption. the Chris
tan Science Monitor presented recent
ly its analysis of the conditions con-
fronting the Republican party, and
surrounding, of course. the presiden-
tial nomination that the party is soon
to make at Chicago. The Monitor is
never partisan in it's political discus
sions. It applies the cold steel of
logic to the facts as it understands
them. So all of it's political observa-
tons are interesting and this one,
which follows, is especially So.
There appears to be little room for
doubt now as to the intention of the
Progressives to nominate Colonel
Roosevelt or as to the inten-
ton of Colonel Roosevelt to
accept that nomination even
though the Republicans shall
decline his leadership. This would
mean a split in the Republican ranks
as in 1912. 1t might be a wider split
than that of four years ago. 1t could
be less wide and still mean defeat for
the candidates of both branches of the
party. Nothing short of unity and
enthusiasm in the opposition can de-
feat woodrow Wilson, if he can be de-
feated at all. There are unquestionably
many Republicans who would rather
see their party go down to defeat with
a representative of the Old Guard at
it's head than see it carried on to vic
tory by the man who led the revolt
against William Howard Taft. These
constitute the emotional and senti-
mental element. They are likely to
be Gained down and to be influenced
by other counsel before balloting be-
gins at Chicago.
For another and a more powerful
element is already putting opportunity
before personality This latter is COM
posed of practical men with whom sue
cess is the all-important consideration.
They care less about placing Theo-
dore Roosevelt in the White House
than they do about placing the Repub-
lican party in power. They want to
win, not alone the presidency but the
congress. Roosevelt is a great deal
less to them than the repeal of the
Underwood tariff. Some, perhaps
many of them, would prefer to have
another than Roosevelt sign the re-
peal bill, but the important things are
that there shall be a Republican con-
gress to pass it and a Republican pres
ident to sign it. They can and will
swallow the resentment that fingers
because of Roosevelt's revolt of four
years ago for the sake of getting back
a protective tariff.
"A split on the presidency would
mean a split and Republican defeat all
along the line. Interest among the
rank and file of the Republican party
would droop in the presence of an
other hopeless campaign. Congress
sional districts and even states, nor
maIly Republican, would go over to
the Democratic party practically by
default The Republican fight would
be lost before it had begun.
-Four years ago cool-headed, prac-
teal politicians, had they been listen
ed to, would have sacrificed Taft, or
any other aspirant arising in Taft's
place before the convention, in order
to placate Roosevelt and his friends
and avert revolt. Emotion and senti-
ment, resentment and anger, were
then running too high to be checked
by reason, however. The fighters
were determined to show that they
could not be intimidated, bent upon
proving what they could do. To sane
people the defeat of Taft was not more
certain when the returns came in than
it was when a house divided against
itself entered upon the campaign. The
practical politicians in the Republican
party are going to command more at
tention this time. They are in a posi-
ton to put the matter plainly and
brusquely to the emotional and senti-
mental. They can ask, Are you look
ing for satisfaction in preventing the
colonel from obtaining what he wants
or in the achievement of Republican
victory? You cannot have both. Take
your choice
There are, of course, from a Demo
cratic point of view, serious Difficult
ties in the way of Republican victory
even with all the conditions favorable
in the internal economy of the latter
party. There is no certainty thai
Woodrow Wilson can be defeated by
Theodore Roosevelt or by any other
man the opposition can name. Never
the less. the Democrats would find il
difficult, if not impossible, to concea
the relief which would come to then
with the defeat of the colonel in the
Republican convention. That would
be a circumstance fraught with ire
mendous possibilities
'At present much is being said re
garding 'favorite SON. combines in tn,
west with the purpose of, at least
preventing the nomination of Roose
welt. Also much is being said abou
the Frightening prospects of Mr.. Root
and the more favorable attitude o
Justice Hughes. All this however
may be resolved into one question
What difference will it make whethe
Mr.. Burton, Mr.. Cummins. Mr.. I.aFol
lette, Mr. Fairbanks, Mr. Weeks, Mr.
Root or Mr.. Hughes shall be nomi
mated nv tho RannbIicar 1.>r