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Show WHAT OF THE FUTURE? Tho political public is naturally indulging in-dulging in a good deal of speculation as to the future of the Republican party. The split in the party was its ruin at the recent election. The question ques-tion is Whether that split will coutinuo in such proportions as permanently to disable tho efforts of the Republican leaders. The contemptuous refusal of the New York Progressives two days after tho election, to afHliutc with the Republicans of that State is a reminder remind-er of the contemptuousnoss shown for a short time by the Populists toward the Democratic party. It may be, of course, that time will soften the asperities asperi-ties engendered during the campaign; but it would be surprising iudocd if thero should be enough of this softening soften-ing to bring the two wings of tho party together for some years to come. It looks now as tlfough tho Progressive party might play the same rolo toward the Republican party that the Populist party played toward tho Democratic party. It appeared for a time that. Populism was going to swoop Democracy Democ-racy away, and take ifs place as a National party. But tho Democracy, although to a considerable degree submerged sub-merged in Populism in lSlUi and 1900, has since those years been emerging from the Populistie- overflow. It is easy to conceive that Colonel Roosovclt might be disposed to play towards tho Republican party precisely precise-ly the samo rolo that .Tud"- Pcffor. of Kansas, played in behalf of Populism towards the Democracy, while Governor Govern-or Hiram Johnson of California might be its "Socklcss Jerry." The wounds inflicted in tho recent campaign aro far more severe from each wing of tho Republican party upon tho other wing, than they arc upon tho Democratic party by cither, tho common enemy of both. It would bo unreasonable, therefore, there-fore, to expect that these wounds can be healed in any very rapid way, or that the Roosevelt efforts aro in the least likely to be restrained against fhe Republican party henceforth. The probability, indeed, is that ho will koep up his warfare diligently and vindictively. vindic-tively. So far as Colonel Roosevelt is concerned, ho will, no doubt, consider that President Taft is finally disposed of politically. But in this ho is liable to mako a great mistake; for President Taft has conducted himself with diligence, dili-gence, fidelity and dignity in the public, pub-lic, interests. Ho comes out of the campagn in far better shapo than Roosevelt does, although Roosevelt gots a much larger number of electoral votes than Taft. has received. But politically, Roosovclt Jms made himself impoKsiblo so far as the Republican party is concerned, and unless he can hold together a Progressive party sufficient suf-ficient to make himself a terror to the Ropublican parly, ho i6 certainly done for politically forever. His only chance is to hold up tho Republican party for a nomination, hoping it will accopl. him, rather than fight him. Tn this, though, he will never succeed; for the Republican party could not possibly tako Roosovclt for its candidate and hold together during a campaign. Still, tho hold that Roosovclt has on a vast voting population in tho Unilcd States, especially in the North, is a thing not to be ignored. That following follow-ing is not enough to give him tho Presidency, Pres-idency, to be suro; and any effort of his to gain that office again must be a hopeless failure. Yet ho is a formidable for-midable politician, and can do more towards holding the Progressives together to-gether as a foe to the Ropublican party than any of the Populist lenders could in holding ihc Populist party logothcr as a foe to the Democrats. Br3'an never full' yielded himself to ,tho Populistie idea; ho never consented to get out of tho Democratic part-; therefore, his strength in that party has never waned. Colonel Roosevelt, however, has permanently per-manently and contemptuously spurned the Ropublican parly; and, of course, that parly can have nothing more to do with him. Whether he will be able with his Progressive party to keep the Republican party in submergence for another Presidential election is the question. Tt would not surprise us at all to sno Mm able to do this, but it is practically assured that his Progressive party will go on the same rocks, to the samo wreckage, that the Populisr party went after impressing iteclf so strongry upon Democratic policies. But the Populist party was ablo to entrench itself thus strongly upon the Democracy by acting with it lo a very-large very-large extent. Colonel Roosevelt hut! taken the opposite course, and has chosen to fight the Republican party. We believe, therefore,, that his effort, to emulate through his Progressive party par-ty toward the Republican party, the same impressive force that the Populistie Popu-listie party exerted toward the Demo-cratic Demo-cratic party, will be a failure. And yet it appears to be certain that he is not only ready to undertake this tnsk, but determined to pursue it to tho bitter bit-ter end. That end, while it muy be irksome and disastrous to the Ropublican Ropub-lican party for a time, mu&t necessarily necessa-rily be his own political finish. But he is an adroit politician, the most adroit and shifty that this country has ever had. and it is quite within- the possibilities that he may declare a truce, and let it be known that he will "save" the Republican purtv only if it will tako him for it lender, A contingency of that kind is hardly possible; pos-sible; but with Roosevelt many things aro possible thai would scorn to be impossible im-possible to anyone else. He may even approach the Democracy for an alii unco, confident that his following would iro with him into the Democratic enmp. llo can reverse himself quicker than any politician ovor known and still retain re-tain his following. He can say that white is black one day and the next day that, black is black, and apparently gain following at every shift of opin ion. His formidable characteristics as a politician were abundantly demonstrated demon-strated in tho recent campaign; and those who reckon without him for the next eight or ten years to come must certainly wake up to their mistake. He is n dangerous man; but ho has a powerful influence with the people, and ho is certain to exercise that power in such direction .'13 will bo most to his own personal nclvantuge. And one thing is curtain; if he tolls his follow, ors to go back. into the Republican party par-ty they will go back; if lie tells them to stay out of thai party nnd pursue lhcir; independent course as Progressives, Progres-sives, they will do that. The truth being that he has a moro subservient and tremendous following than has any other individual in tho Unitod States either now or horctofore.. |