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Show H j ' ' ELECTIONS THAT ARE WARNINGS. j The several elections that have been held since President Taft H( entered upon his term of offioo should qonvey an impressive warn- ' ing to the Republican party, says the Los Angeles Tribune. En- H tering upon his administration under the fairest auspices, Mr. Taft H has reduced the Republican parly to a condition that makes cer- H , tain his defeat should he be renominated. It is not necessary now H to review the creative causes that have brought about this condition, H I Jt were a charitablo judgment of Mr. Taft to assert that ho pos- H , sesses a positive genius for making blunders and committing mis- H takes. B The verdict of the people on his administration may be gath- H ered from the elections that have been held since his abandonment HT of tho Rooscveltpolicies anclsiu'rcndcit to reactionary influences. Not- H able among them was the congressional ejection of 1910, when the H country unmistakably rebuked the administration for its course. H Almost -without exception the occasional special elections to fill H! congressional vacancies have proved that the country's condemna tion of Taft remains unchanged. On two occasions, for instance, Kansas, which is a Republican state, has replaced Republican representatives rep-resentatives -with Democrats. It is as William Allen White de- clared last Thursday when he said "This country is going Dem-ocaticas Dem-ocaticas suro as November cqmes unless our parly' changes leaders.". lead-ers.". This pergonal view of the.' teachings of the situation is given in this judgment "It's Roosevglt or bust." Undoubtedly the nominationr'of Mr, Roosevelt 'would give the Republican party full assurance of success. But Mr. Roosevelt is not a candidate in the sense, that he seeks to he nominated, though his patriotism might compel him to accept a nomination were it tendered, and meaawhjle it .is the duty of Republicans to seek out a candidate whose progressive principles would give their party a chance to win. The country is progressive. All the elections elec-tions that have been held prove that. If the Republican party does not nominate a progressive, such as Roosevelt or La Follette, the people will elect a progressive Democrat. If it nominates Taft, it 1 might just as well save the trouble and expense of making a campaign. cam-paign. Defeat would be a foregone conclusion. Why invite political politi-cal disaster? |