Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-08-07
MONDAY, AUGUST I, 1927.
Borah and n Third Party
FRN DISPATCH

L. ENTHUSIASTIC admirers OF the political
Ifrecord OF William L. Borah, United
States Senator from Idaho, are proposing
that his policies be crystallized through the
organization OF II new national party in this
conntry and that he place himself at the
head OF a movement designed to break down
the old political structures
This call TO leadership comes from Glib
eral'' sources and from a group OF men
who distrust Republicans and Democrats
alikei who find in the old parties only re-
ectionism, and believe that the time is ripe
for"ths creation Of political party in tho
country which will stand faithfully for the
great mass of the American people
All this has been heard many:times he
fore. Again and again malcontcnts and pro-
fessional uplifters have rushed forward
with demand that new order in Amer
lean political life be established But only
one radical movement in all American his
tory has ever endured for more than n gen
Grafton. This was the movement against
slavery. which resulted in the founding OF
the Republican party and in the death OF
the WING organization For decade the
Republican party was the radical organiza-
ton, but little by little It became .conser-
yative.
Not even so dynamic character as Theo-
dore Roosevelt was able to found a liberal
party that could last. He led ono smashing
campaign and then threw up his hands and
went back headong into the arms of the
Republicans, but not until most of his fol-
lowers had deserted his standard The pro-
gressive policies of the first Wilson ADJ
ministration undoubtedly sounded tho death
knell OF the Progressive party. Mr.. VII
son left nothing for It to feed upon.
AS for Mr.. Borah. his boldness and his re-
sourcefulness during he past two wears have
commended him to large element of the
american people. He has been fearless Ia
Inc point OF audacity. He has insurged
against his own party. without giving any
great degree OF aid or comfort to the Demo
Gratis. He has led fine fight against an
INFAMOUS tariff bill. He has stood manfullv
against bankrnpting tho Treasury through
me payment OF n soldier bonus He fought
the ionr-po"er treaty, after leading the
hght IN this country for disarmament All
these things have made him easily the
strongest figure on the Republican side OF
the Senate
But there is not the slightest reason m
believe that Mr. Borah, at heart. is any,
thing but Republican. Twice curing his
political career he has turned his face
against boilers role in tho old free
silver days he was a rampant bmstallist
and was as much silverite as was William
j. Bryan himself. But when the time
came to desert the gold standard Repub-
hcanism OF the period. he refused to de-
sert he remained a Republican.
Iwenty-four years later. Borah was the
ablest OF the Roosevelt lieutenants In the
hight to defeat the denomination of Pre.i-
dent Taft There were plenty of Hadleys
and Films and Dixons IN the historic con-
test at Chicago in 1912, but II was Borah
who landed tho heaviest blows In behalf
or Roosevelt. And yet, when defeat on
: the convention floor came. followed by the
bolt of the "Progressives." Borah stood nat
He refused 10 leave the reservation. CIV
Ing passive support to Taft.
Why II should be assumed now that
Borah will yield to the establishments OF
new third party movement is not easv 70
. SEQ The far safer bet is that he will re-
main Republican to the end, boring from
within instead OF seeking to wreck the
old party from without.