Creature From Jekyll Island by G. Edward полностью

The election of 1912 was a textbook example of power politicsand voter deception. The Republican President, William HowardTaft, was up for reelection. Like most Republicans of that era, hispolitical power was based upon the support of big-business andbanking interests in the industrial regions. He had been elected tohis first term in the expectation that he would continue theprotectionist policies of his predecessor, Teddy Roosevelt, particularly in the expansion of cartel markets for sugar, coffee, and fruitfrom Latin America. Once in office, however, he grew morerestrained in these measures and earned the animosity of manypowerful Republicans. The ultimate breach occurred when Taftrefused to support the Aldrich Plan. He objected, not because itwould create a central bank which would impose governmentcontrol over the economy, but because it would not offer enoughgovernment control. He recognized that the Jekyll Island formulawould place the bankers into the driver's seat with only nominalparticipation by the government. He did not object to the ancientpartnership between monetary and political scientists, he merelywanted a greater share for the political side. The bankers were notadverse to negotiating the balance of power nor were they unwilling to make compromises, but what they really needed at thisjuncture was a man in the White House who, instead of being 452

THE CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND

lukewarm on the plan, could be counted on to become its champion and who would use his influence as President to garnersupport from the fence straddlers in Congress. From that momentforward, Taft was marked for political extinction.

This was a period of general prosperity, and Taft was popularwith the voters as well as with the rank-and-file Party organization.

He had easily won the nomination at the Republican convention,and there was little doubt that he could take the presidentialelection as well. Wilson had been put forth as the Democraticchallenger, but his dry personality and aloof mannerisms hadfailed to arouse sufficient voter interest to make him a seriouscontender.

THE BULL MOOSE CANDIDATE