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Show TAFT'S SPEECH. Former President Taft evidently intends in-tends to block the return of Roosevelt to the Republican party unless the latter lat-ter is willing to take his place in the ranks and fight under the old flag that has so often been borne to victory vic-tory in the last fifty years. Mr. Taft does not propose that the Oyster Bay man shall substitute a banner of his own and take command of the Republican Repub-lican party immediately after announcing announc-ing that he is tired of wandering in the wilderness and that his stomach rebels against the husks that fall to the lot of all prodigal sons. No fatted calf will be killed for Mr. Roosevelt if the ' ' Dear Will ' ' of bygone days can prevent it. The Progressives, and there are many thousands of them, who have already returned to the Republican fold believe in the principles of the party to which they have been attached from their youth up and do not insist upon the adoption of the ''isms'' as the price of rhcir allegiance. Neither do they evince a desire that Mr. Roosevelt be placed at the head of the table. It short, they have again become Republicans, Repub-licans, having been cured of their propensity pro-pensity to ''follow on," without knowing know-ing whither they are bound. The speech of Mr. Taft at Seattle, which he declared was the first political polit-ical talk of bis present trip, may be interpreted as meaning that the old-line old-line Republicans are not going to be stampeded by Mr. Roosevelt and his few remaining followers in case they decide to get back on the reservation. It may also be interpreted as a declaration declara-tion that Mr. Taft will not support the man who betrayed the party iu 1U12 under any circumstances whatsoever. Fortunately there is little or no chance that the next Republican convention will so far forget itself as to nominate Mr. Roosevelt and take chances of another an-other disastrous split. At the present writing it looks as if any good straight Republican can win next year hands down. From every corner of the country comes word that the rank and file of the party are enthusiastic over the prospects to a remarkable degree. At the same time rumblings of discontent are heard in the Democratic camp. But this is not all. The business interests of the country coun-try demand a return to the principles of protection. The outlook for the elevation ele-vation of a Republican to the presidential presiden-tial chair could not be more alluring, the only fly in the ointment being the possibility of row raised bv Mr. Roosevelt Roose-velt if he should enact the role of the repentant backslider without really and truly repenting. We are glad Mr. Taft made the speech he did at Seattle, it will have a tendency to clear the po litical atmosphere. |