Taft made a
President more pleasing to the Bosses than to the people was amply
proved, in the campaign of 1912.
CHAPTER XIII
THE BULL MOOSE
It was not personal ambition which made Roosevelt become the
leader of the revolt in the Republican Party, and later head a new
party. The revolt had been growing while he was in Africa, and he
was long besought to become its leader. At first, Senator La
Follette seemed a possible leader, but he broke down in a nervous
attack, and the belief that he was not the man for the place has
been justified by later events.
As President Taft's administration drew to an end, in 1911 and
1912, it was clear that he was steadily losing the public
confidence. State elections, and other straws, showed how the wind
was blowing. The Progressive Republicans pointed out to their
fellow-members of the party that only where a Progressive ran for
office in a state election did the party win. Otherwise the
Democrats were victorious. The lesson was plain; but the stand-
patters did not care to see it. By the beginning of 1912 it was
freely predicted in print that the Democrats would nominate
Governor Wilson of New Jersey, their strongest candidate, and that
they would win if the Republicans insisted on naming Mr. Taft. But
the old-line Republicans were above taking advice. The Democrats
were naturally gleeful about the situation; they kept their faces
straight and solemnly warned the Republicans, in the name of the
safety of the country, not to listen to the "wild man," Roosevelt,
but to be sure to nominate Mr.
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