Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-10-27

he adhered tndexibly IN 1Sng. resist
tng tremendous pressure from
almost every part Of the country,
based upon the universal conviction
that his nomina tim an6 election
were absolutely certain 4 his consent
could De obtained. and i large meas
ure Of doubt rs to whether ne could
transfer ID any other candidate
enough of his owr immense popU-
iar1-y u assure the la-eers chulce-
Es succeeded, however, N bringing
about the nomination and election as
MS SUCCESSOR. Of William Howard
Taft, whom ne had SRiecLed after
very serIous consideration and some
neslfancy. Is On The Whole the most
suitable among the public men con-
nectsd with his administration %
continue the practical application Of
MS theories and principles II The con-
duct Of the government. a few
weeks after Mr.. Tact's inauguration
Roosevelt started On Z hunting rup
&c East Africa
On his return ne found the Repup-
ican party threatened with defeat
and the administration gravely dis
credited by Nj Tafts complete
failure ID justify the hopes OF those
VINO had secured his nomination and
most siErally Of al, Of ROOSEVELT
hImself: he found also 4 general CON-
vlctiun. which every day strength
sned, that only his own acceptance
Of the Republican nomination for
the Presidency II 49, could prevent
d Democratic victory. Against bntn
his own inclination anl his own JudE-
ment ne finally yielded 10 the over
wnelmIng pressure brought upon him,
and consented. n his own words, ID
east his hat into the ring. The
party primaries gave Elm an IN
doubted majority IN the convention
hello AT Chicago II June 49,, but the
wealthy interests" which controlled
the National COMMITTEES. and. through
Il. the preliminary organization Of
the convention and the interruptions
politicians VINO did their bidding de-
lihcrately preferred defeat Al
the polls TO fnur YEARS more
Roosevelt. and uaseRte6 enough
Of his delegates 70 ensure the
formal denomination OF Mr., TAFT.
Al Impr0v1seG Progressive
party created largely as a
protest against The injustice and dis
hnnestr Of this nomination, put
Roosevelt IN the field. and d bitter,
three-cornered contest followed; dur
Ing THIS a partially dsmenrsd man.
naddened by the violent abuse Of
Roosevelt E enemies, attempted TO Kill
- ~ @1F~~-
wound which obliged him 70 remain
TWO weeks n a hospital. At the
election M Taft met probably The
most huml.ia ing defeat ever expert
enced ny a candidate for The Presi-
dency, CARING only two small
States and receiving ONLY eight cleo
toral votes. Roosevelt obtained 30,
and 4 popular vote Of ever 4.oot 900.
bur The division Of the Republicans
made lnev1Labi me election u ne
Democratic candidate, Woodrow VIII
son.
n October -e1s. Roosevelt sailed
for South America 70 explore q VIZ
ruaIlv unknown portion Of he Brazil
Ian wilderness. This expedition was
attended by great dangers and hard
ships; his party was for months en-
Lirely cut eff from civilization and
suffered terribly rom -ne -opica!
fsvels a.wavs lurking n those regions.
He was himself Sc very II and The
whole party SO utterly exfla usrad that
ne urged them 70 leave nm 10 die
but ms companions. including his son
Kermit, refused 70 &c this. and finally
succeeded IT reaching a frontier set
Element. Roosevelt returned 10 his
home in MAY 1914, and thereafter WAS
ouTwarGly as earnest, as active and
as Interested = public affairs as he
had ever oesn buI the polsnr OF the
South American fever remained IN
his system. undermined his Strength
and undoubtedly shortened his Life.
E0osevelt's return 10 The United
States was very soon followed by the
outbreak Of the European War. He
mad entirely 6isapprCved " President
Wilson's policy Of ''watchtul wait
lnC" and InconcIusIve Inlsrmed6Iing
IN Mexican affairs. and now found
himself vet more radically out Of
sympathy with N. iarer's advocacy
Of neutrality IN rhougn1" respecting
9Gtt-Aln 1-4G Zig dI~~4S444SAA
wing his too proud 10 fight speech
moreover Roosevelt had naturally
and strongly felt as an unseemiy re-
fecrion on his own official course that
d SUCCESSOR n the Presidency should
negotiate treaty WITH Colombia
apologtZing for the action Of the
United States at Panama. He be-
came more and more critical Of the
administration az he realized mnrs
and more clearly the imminent dan
ger to the United States involved IN
a possible German victory, and the
UuwiIingness of President Wilson
and of the politica, party then
dominant 70 adopt any adequate
measures Of preparation for WIT. or
even TO resent with dignity and spiri-
repeated and insnleut oU-raGes On
our citizens. To bring about Mr.
Wilson'S defeat N 1916. he refused 10
run as the Progressive candidate for
the Presidency (thereby rrtually
destroying the shor1-lived ProgresSlve
party. when the same inreraErS and.
n the main. The same men RESPONSE
bic Tor MI. Taft's candidacy four
years before again showed that they
preferred their partys defeat II
Ronssrel1's election. by giving the
Republican nomination ID Justice
Charles E. Hughes. Roosevelt earn
eEtiy and wanie-hearredly supported
Hughes in the ensuing campaign, but
his iinEmsranie friends were less for
giving than himself. and their pro-
found Dissatisfaction. Joined u Some
clumsy and arrogant plumbers On the
uarr Of the 5cuphlicaua nauaGerx.