Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-27
.b0RAH's THUNDER|NGs
RUMBLE ON UNHEEDED
Old Guard Unmindful as He
Threatens to Disrupt Republic
8Ss ~ can Party.
WANTS LEAGUE MADE ISSUE
Mr.. B1anton, Of Texas, Proposes Probe
OF Alleged Official Ncpotism to Find
How Many Nieccs, Ncphews and
Other Hin Get Jobs.
BY ]. Erred ESSARY.

By j. FIRED ESSARY.
WASHINGTON. June 2e.-I, any
other statesman in the Republican
party measurably as able and as cele-
brated as Senator William L. Borah.
OF Idaho, should issue solemn threat
to quit the reservation. TO disrupt the
ancient and honorable orSanizat ton.
and to set up personally conceived
and conducted party OF his own. the
Warning would be taken seriously.
alike would be alarmed. They would
hold many conferences. They would
appoint many peacemak!aE commit
tees. They would send Occupations 10
the backsl,der and labor with him as
a penitent sinner is labc-ed with At
the mourners bench. They would
plead with him no, TO break their
hearts, not to dissolve ;he ties OF a
happy and reunited family, and not
TO destroy his own prom sing and
useful career There would be soi-
row and tears. and i: they awaited
nothing, there would he CONSERVATION
In the ranks of the Republican lead
ers. Such warning as fell from the
lips OF Senator Borah the other day
would create a panic If uttered by any
other great figure in the party. and
the country Itself would be in a state
OF acute suspense as il awaited the
eject OF the terrible thunderbolt.
His Challenge Sincere.
But Senator Borah's bold announce
fuses TO make partisan issue of the
league OF nations. he Will head party
that VIII make an issue of It. has
created scarcely ripple OF excite
mont There is nobody in Washing
ton who Is remotely concerned over
the prospect. There is nobody who can
be convinced for fleet!ng moment he
could be weaned from the Republican
party, come what may. This does not
mean that he was insncere in his
declarations on the Senate floor. lie
chat day. He WAS filled with passionate
Indignation at the hypocr!tlcal atti-
tude of some Of mis- party associates
ne KNOWS that the party. rs party.
everything in It's power to Kill the
covenant. and will continue to work
TO that end. And yet these associates
refuse to call the fight a party fight
All this has enraged Mr.. Borah and
caused that impulsive statesman 10
issue his challenge 10 the Republican
ueaders. challenge which, it might be
said again. was issued IN good faith
MIR. Borah Revolted.
Be that as it may. those Republicans
by the Borah outburst. They look for
no party split. They see no dark
clouds upon the HORIZON. They know
given to wild intellectual excursions
and to wilder political somersaults.
But with all his acrobatics, he never
may turn handsprings until he is black
tn the face. but he always ends just
where he starts. 1t is easy for them
TO recall that back in 1896. Mr.. Borah
known In those days as silver Re
publican"-a curious sort of combina-
dion. And there were others, like
T 3nnesa .of ho6 G9lorado Most Of them
standard where they, OF course be-
1onged and 1t was assumed that Mr.
Borah would follow his friend Senator
Teller into the silverized party. But
q Republican first and silverite next
And he. remained Republican. Then
100. 1t is even easier 10 recall that
an the great Roosevelt fight In
1912, Senator Borah was the ablest OF
all tho, Roosevelt lleutenants in the
Republican National Committee. lie
Led the. battle over contested seats be-
fore the committee. and failing to
nominate the Colonel there, he went
upon the convention floor. where he
was towering Roosevelt figure
ahrouEhout all OF that historic con
test But when the time came 10 bolt
and set up new party, Mr. Borah
TeyoHed, He was a Republican first
and Roosevelt man next. And he
he belonged, and where every Re
publican In the Senate believes he
will stay until he dies. league or no
league, peace or no peace. ratification
He Is 100 Per Cent. Republican.
There are whole lot o. people
therefore, who look upon William Il.
Borah rs consummate gutter. They
are convinced that he Will never see
anything through that involves any
real sacrifice on his part. They even
oite the fact that a couple Of years
ago herannounced fatty that he would
mot BIO a candidate to succeed himself
and that nothing could prevail upon
him to, Sit longer In a Senate that
had Loot It's character. He was sick
of public lie and of the whole BUSH
mess in Washington. He wanted TO
go back to Idaho and practice law, and
inctdentaNy 10 make some money. But
Z me didn't even go through with that
He yielded 10 the opportunities OF
friends, stood tor election and was
returned TO the Senate by grace OF
Democratic votes as well as Republi-
can. HeIhad no opposition and ought
mot to have had any because ne is an
asset to<the Senate and an asset TO the
country. He is a brilliant man and
an honest man. But he is 100 per
cent Republican. and he can no more
change his spots than can the leopard
For his own good therefore, ne ought
to stop talking about boiling the
party. He probably would not admit
At but his friends know that he could