The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-29
Chairman HilIeS Thinks They
Will Satisfy T. r.
WILL NOT RUN As THIRD"
IF Platform Is Satisfactory He'll
Stay With Republicans.
MOosers May Join Hands ii
Right Concessions Are Made.


four big planks the Republican car
penters will put together in the ma
tional platform to be constructed in
the Coliseum next week:
Adequate national defense.
President Wilson'S shortcomings.
Nonpartisan, scientific tariff COM
mission.
Merchant marine.
On this platform and a candidate
who is honestly in accord with it, Re
publican chiefs believe they will salts
fy the Progressives and particularly
Colonel Roosevelt.
This is the forecast of Charles D.
EIilles, chairman of the Republican
national committee. Mr.. Hilles dis
cussed the convention from several
angles. expressed his views on L R.
and the platform, and went so far as
to prophesy another split in the party
or at least a Progressive detection
again, if the convention did not meas
ure up to the forward looking ideas
of the American people.
That the convention will, however,
measure up to this standard is his firm
belief.
Roosevelt Can Support 1t.
Il am not in Mr.. Roosevelt's conf
dence" said Mr.. Hilles, but, looking
at the situation as any man might who
wants to see the best thing done, L
should say Colonel Roosevelt can sup
port the Republican ticket this fall
even should he not be nominated, if
the ticket and the platform is on the
square. L think it will be.
Z 'If the Republicans put forth a plat
form that is not bunk, but a sincere
a candidate for president the people
believe will adhere sincerely to the
platform and is equal to the task of
living up to the platform, do not be
lieve Colonel Roosevelt will lead a
third party movement this year.
''On the other. hand, if the platform
is a bunk platform, which no well in
formed man anticipates, and if Colo
mel Roosevelt had reason to feel him
SELF and his principles outraged he
might run again on a third ticket.
In that event the Republicans
would have hard time defeating Mr.
Wilson, but I don't look for that de-
velopment. L am basing my opinion
on the statement issued by the Pro-
gressive national committee at It's
meeting here in Chicago
Ready to Join Hands.
In that the Progressive party an
nounced that it was ready to join
hands with the Republicans. provided
the main principles for which the Pro-
gressives have contended are set forth
/ in the Republican platform and pro-
! vided. further, that the nominee of
| the Republican convention measures
| up to that pronouncement.
Who Will 1t Be?
! AS to who will be nominated no
| one can even guess at this time.
believe the Republican convention this
year will be composed of delegates
who are independent in their thinking
and who will deliberate soberly and
| seriously on the national situation. /
don't think it will be classed as de
| liverable, in the sense that word is
used.
This will be a convention in which
| the deliberate and sincere judgment of
a majority of the delegates will pre-
vail in the end. l make no compari-
son with other conventions. and 10 not
mean to make any insinuations. but
the whole national situation this year
is such that the Republican delegates
will think carefully and soberly and
| even prayerfully before they commit
| the party on these vital issues.
Mckinley, in one of his great cam
paigns, said that whatever may have
! been the situation before that this was
| a year in which business was politics
and politics was business.
Time for Patriotism.
say now, on the eve of the opening OF
! the Republican national convention,
that whatever may have been the sit
uation heretofore this is a year and a
time when politics is patriotism and
| patriotism is politics.
Social justice will be plain A1neri-
canism this time, and it will be writ
ten into the Republican platform in
my opinion he said. ''Just what the
platform will be 1 don't know. That
| will be up to the resolutions commit
tee. But 1 think there is a disposition
this year to make the platform rather
| brief and embrace many pronounce-
ments and issues in a single declara-
ton"
Stand for Defense.
! THAT the party will take strong
stand for adequate national defense
goes without saying. Any one car
guess that if he knows the history OF
the party. 1t has always stood for ma
tional honor and national defense an6
believe that the resolutions commit
tee will take a. firm stand for an ade-
! national defense.
There can be no doubt that the
committee will point to the many
shortcomings of President Wilson and
his administration" he said. why
shouldn't they? Take Mexico for one
thing I believe the Republican party
will differ with Mr.. Wilson on his
handling of the Mexican situation and
l should guess that that will be sci
forth clearly in the platform
Non-Partisan Tariff Body
In reply to the question as to wha