The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-03
G. O. p NEEDS T. Il.


lie described itself and its aims when
it made its bow to the public two or
three years ago. And generally speak
ing it has remained steadfast to its
ideals. This is particularly true of its
political discussions. 1t is more con-
cerned with issues and measures than
it is with men. And in matters po-
litical it is wholly impartial. It is
aligned neither with a party nor any
faction of any party. In other words
it has no political favorites. This, of
| course, gives weight of cool and sober
Judgment to its political observations
In a recent issue and under the cap
ton, Republican Debt to Roosevelt
The New Republic presented clean
cut argument to the effect that mas
much as Colonel Roosevelt has pre-
scented the only political program that
can successfully cope with the one
| that the Democratic party has devel-
| oped for use in the campaign, it is
only fair that the Republicans should
accord him their presidential nominal
ton. The New Republic suggests
further that if Mr.. Roosevelt is not
given the nomination. a successful
Republican candidate must not only
| obtain Mr.. Roosevelt's support; he
must in certain essential matters ac-
cept Mr.. Roosevelt's lead. Excerpts
from The New Republics article in
| question follow:
| 1.-The effective reunion of the Re-
publican party does not depend mere
ly on the nomination of a candidate
| who is not tainted by the quarrels and
| the failures of the past six years. 1t
depends still more on the ability of any
candidate who is nominated to revive
the Republican tradition, to give back
to the party some of its former ag-
gressive fighting spirit and moral self
assurance. The Republicans more
| than the Democrats need an underly-
ing integrity of conviction and some
positive vitality of impulse. They
have always been a party of action
which sought to promote the national
welfare. not by leaving things alone,
but by using the powers and resources
Of the national government to carry
out an economic and political pro-
gram. In the coming contest they are
likely to be defeated unless they re-
gain their old ability to force the fight
ing and to formulate vigorous and
comprehensive national policy. The
|
physical and moral crisis 1t is con-
fronted by dangers to which it is not
accustomed and problems which elude
| the grasp of its older traditions. More
than at any time since the Civil war
the opportunity and necessity exists
for courageous and far-sighted politi-
cal initiative. The Republicans must
supply it or become a party of mega
tive and superseded ideas.
up to the present time the Repub-
licans have utterly failed to develop
the kind of leadership demanded by
their own predicament and that of the
country. Only one man has succeeded
either in putting up an effective and
significant opposition to the Demo-
cratic administration or in expressing
anything of the spirit and the policy
needed by an aggressively national
party. That man is, of course Theo-
dore Roosevelt. 1t is a remarkable
fact that the Progressive leader,
around whose person the bitter con-
troverses of 1912 chiefly conferred, and
whose candidacy would seem to bring
with it the greatest possible provoca-
ton to discord, should also be the one
man who has provided the Republicans
with plan for the possible restoration
of party vigor and has been COM
municating to them the spirit with
which the restoration should be in
fused. The value of his services to the
party is so unimpeachable and en-
phatic that if the quarrel of 1912 had
been less recent and bitter, Mr. Roose-
welt could hardly fail of nomination.
Any effective Republican candidate
will be obliged to take over the cam
paign as Mr.. Roosevelt has started and
blocked it out. Thus even if he cannot
be nominated the necessity of his lead
ership for a party with the traditions
Of Republicanism will have been vim
dicated. The politicians who rejected
him in 1912 are being forced to come
back to him in 1916, because without
the spirit and the point of view en-
bodied and represented in him their
party is bankrupt in feeling and ideas.
A successful Republican candidate
must not only obtain Mr.. Roosevelt's
support; he must in certain essential
matters accept Mr.. Roosevelt's lead.
mo candidate can escape this con-
dition, not even Mr.. Justice Hughes.
Mr.. Roosevelt has anticipated the
only kind of a campaign which will re-
vive Republicanism and distinguish it
from Democracy. The Democratic
party under President Wilson's leader
ship has taken on a positive character.
Just as it represented in 1912 luke
warm and safe progressivism, so it is
coming to present in 1916 lukewarm
and safe program of national organ
ization. If the Republicans intend, as
| Fair We
record in congress, merely to stand for
another lukewarm and safe version of
peace, prosperity and preparedness
there is no sufficient reason, as the
New York World insists, why they
should not express their patriotism by
joining in Mr.. Wilson's denomination.