AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 199, 20 February 1912, Page 7

AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

THE PRESSURE ON ROOSEVELT. San" Francisco, January 22. Nothing else that has happened in the last year has given the Republican party so much encouragement in the hope that it will retain the Presidency after the forthcoming election as the peculiar little quarrel—perhaps coolness would better describe the situation —that has arisen between Governor Woodrow Wilson, of New Jersey, and Colonel George Harvey, editor of Harper's Weekly and the North American Review. Governor Wilson, to all appearances, was the most formidable candidate the Democrats could put in the field. He is now revealed as a coldblooded ingrate, chant the Republicans In unison, and their newspapers, from one end of the country to the other, are talking of "the collapse of Wilson." EDJTOR-FRIEND'S ASSISTANCE.

The falling out between the Presidential aspirant and the editor is curiously interesting. A small enough matter in itself, it is not by any means impossible that it may have consequences as serious as the extinguishment of Woodrow's Wilson's political career. It is universally recognised that Colonel Harvey, is Dr Wilson's political father. For six or seven years, in and out of season, he has been preaching to the country that Woodrow Wilson is the Democrat best fitted'to occupy White House. When Wilson, then president of Princetown University, was unknown outside literary and educational circles, his editor-friend, in articles in his own and other magazines, and in speeches in State after State, pounded away at his pet theme. Then, less than two years ago, Dr Wilson resigned from the University and was elected Governor of New Jersey. He has made an unusually efficient Governor, and his reputation has been steadily growing. Every week at the head of the editorial columns of Harper's Weekly appeared the legend In black type: "Our candidate for President—Woodrow Wilson." Recently this was removed, and in response to inquiries from his readers, Colonel Harvey printed 1 a short, dignified statement to the effect that this was done at the request of Governor Wilson, who said that "our support was affeeting his candidacy injuriously. The only eourse left open to us in simple fairness to Mr Wilson, no less than in consideration of our selfrespect, was to cease to advocate his nomination."

Present at the personal interview between the Governor aiid the editor, at which the strange request was preferred, was another editor, Henry Wattcvson, of the Louisville Courier-Journal, himself a powerful figure in the Democratic party. He had been supporting Wilson, too, but now has reached the conclusion that the latter is "rather a schoolmaster than a Statesman." He describes Governor Wilson's attitude at the interview as "autocratic, if not tyrannous," adding: "He is not a man who makes common cause with his political associates, or is deeply Bensible of his political obligations; bficause it is, but true and fair to say that except for Colonel Harvey ,he wouid not be in. the running nt oij.» <,;,,

Governor Wilson has refused to com-, ment for publication upon the affair that I has apparently dealt an irreparable blow f ; to his ambitions. The only explanation '< of request to Colonel Harvey to quiti supporting him is that the Harper publi- ■ cations are popularly supposed to be controlled by Wall-street interests. The foundation of this belief is the fact that ten or twelve years ago J. Pieront Mor- i gan came to the relief of Harper Brothers and Co., as a matter of Bentiment, when the house suspended payments. Colonel Harvey is the president of the corporation, Harper Brothers and Co. THE REPUBLICAN ATTITUDE.

Up to now, Woodrow Wilson is the man the Republicans have been most afraid of. They believe that with Taft they can defeat Bryan, because they have dope that once already. They believe they can beat Champ Clark, Speaker of the House of Representatives because Clark is regarded as flighty and a little unbalanced. They believe they can beat Governor Harmon, of Ohio, because Harmon is supposed to be friendly to the corporation interests. But as against Wilson, a progressive-minded man, with a 1 growing reputation, they were lacking I in confidence. The removal of that line of black type from the editorial page of Harper's Weekly may save the day fori the Republicans. Nothing is more unpopular than ingratitude. Bryan, the thrice-defeated, has been induced to made a declaration as to his own attitude toward the Democratic nomination. "I cannot conieive," he stated, upon his return from a trip to Havana, "of any condition that would make it possible for me to consider the ' question of my becoming a candidate for the Presidential nomination of the Democratic, party this year." But, with a multiplicity of candidates, none able to command a majority of the delegates to the nomination convention, it is not unlikely that. Bryan nurtures the hope that the convention may turn to him to break a deadlock! : ' "' '" ■■

And on the Republican side of the fence-Senator La Follette, in a campaign through the middle west, is hammering away with his criticism of President Taft and the prophecy 4hat th» party has, no chance of success unless it nominates a progressive. The Republican City Committee of St. Louis has endorsed Colonel Roosevelt for the Presidential nomination, referring to him as the "foremost citizen and greatest man of the known world." Notwithstanding the ex-Pr,esi-dent's statement that he is not a candidate, Republicans in different parts of the country are declaring for hira as the only man who can save the day the party. He is being urged by'some oflhis close political friends to announce that he will not withstand a strong popular demand that he accept nomination.