THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 12, 1912. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10657, 12 June 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 12, 1912. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Interest is so closely centred around {Dominion politics just now, that the average reader has (scarcely time' to ■review the events which are passing in, greater . spheres. Possibly there is no political incident surrounded by such speculation at the present moment as ithe election to the Presidency of the United States. The contest between President Taft and ex-Pre-gident Uoosevelt, is the most exciting (that has .taken place for many a year, 'and it is uncertairl. at this stage which (of the two will receive the 'Republican nomination,. At the ,beginning of April practically every observer whose opinion: was impartial enough to, be worth having was certain: that the President would' be re-nominated (stated the 'Washington correspondent of the Times early last month). To-day there are in' many quarters grave doubts whether the President cam be ■re-nominated. ■ Even if Mr Roosevelt fails to wan' nomination for himsielf, it is felt thjait he may ibe strong enough to defeat Mr Taft, and .force a .compromise candidate upon, the Con/yerittion. It is not so mutfh that Mr Roosevelt's 'Corastitutiona.l . platform has captured the country, or that he has enunciated otihier (popular (policies ■as that lie has shown extraordinary 'ability in capitalising the discontent df the ipeople iwith machime government. Much, has been.isaid xnbout the' President's reactionary and oligarchial! tendencies is, to put it Imiildty, .exaggerated, but the- 'fact remains thi.Ttt the machine, politicians are supporting the President, and the people have shown, decided signs of hiifeting at .those politicians through the ■president. That was what happened alt Illinois and 1 Pennsylvania, tand to some, extent Massachusetts, where the ipeople voted for (the President in theory (but repudiated 'hi,s delegates in practice. No politician himself, and /believer in moder'ate courses, the President has treated too gently var-

j ions "bosGos" of whom lie disapproves as mucli .as Mr Roosevelt does,' and amtill tla.st week lie made no r'eal effort to counter Mr Roosevelt's attacks. The kick of resourcefulness, moreover, wliiclx the While .Honuso Repnblicains fta-ve .so far shown. ece.ms to ho ■bcgimijinK ima:k'o many modcrate reformers feci that under Mr !Rwosevelt they may .have a better chance of iacitt. : .n,<j; ihinpp don-e than ■under the .President. That, at aaiy irate, is the explanation, brides the appeal of his .personality, most generally given, for Mr Roo&evolt's success us .loader of the new Raditn.l movement. Success. is, of course, a.comparative term. Very different as Mr (Roosevelt's position is .from what it was a 'month ago, neither his nomination ncr the default of Mr r Jaft is yet withi.iL the hounds of .prophecy."