The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-26
II Roosevelt Had Been President.

should the Republican Presidential ticket
be elected. bringing Mr.. Roosevelt WITHIN
one life Of the Chief Magistracy, the in
terests Of the nation will, In an unusual
degree. be centered in the preservationsof
that life For although many men in
reUectuaIly inferior to Mr.. Roosevelt have
been elected To the Vice Presidential Of
flee. we can recall none in that position
whose promotion 10 the only higher place
I'm our system of government would have
given so much cause for grave apprehen-
sion. These are not quiet times, nor are
existing conditions normal New condi-
tions have brought new responsibilities
and evolved new and serious problems
with which the present and succeeding ad-
ministrations must concern themselves.
There are admirers of Mr.. Roosevelt
who think they see in him the ideal Presi-
dent. As for The Post, 1t knows no way
Of Judging of the future but by the past;
40 better way OF determining what man
would do in d certain station than TO con-
slider what he has. in the past, advised the
incumbent Of that position to do. Let us
apUlE lfllS rule 10 MI lNtOStNt4I.
There is nothing in the record of Presi-
dent Mckinley more distinctly creditable
10 him than his firm, stout, and finally
successful resistance of the proposition 10
Tut into our declaration Of war against
spain a recognition OF the bogus Cuban
republic But for that resistance of ire
mendOus pressure We should have gone
into Cuba 10 play second fiddle 10 Cuban
generals, 10 re-enforce that preposterous
Cuban army. II would have been fear
tul and might have been a fatal blunder.
All the Senators and Representatives who
opposed the President in that crisis real
lied their mistake, knew that he w2s
right ana they were wrong, as soon as
our entrance into Cuba proved the alleged
republic TO be q sham and the army not
much better. But had Theodore Roose-
welt been President. that recognition
would have been accorded, that gigantic
blunder perpetrated. As an honest man
lfe would have done what he advised the
President To do 1t Is a well-known fact
that the persistent urging of Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt was part of the pres
sure which the President resisted.
Had Roosevelt been President, the same
process OF reasoning that led him 10 favor
recognition Of an imaginary republic and
cooperation with a paper army In Cuba
would have prompted him 10 recognize
President" Agunaldo and his alleged re-
public IN The Philippines. And what would
a. nj hal III Isr
What but disgrace could have come ouI
OfIt2
Had Roosevelt been President in The
summer OF 1898 our feet would have been
sent across the Atlantic in search Of Ger
yeras ships. That is what he urged upon
the President with all the carnestness that
characIerlzes his strenuous nature. II
would have been display Of stupendous
folly. unsurpassed in history.
There are other facts In the career OF
this popular candidate for the Viee Pres
dency which, Ia case Of his election. Wit
than customary fervor. that no vacancy
may occur IN the Presidential Office. A
civil service commissioner lie 'tithed mint
Cumiu and auisc and neglected the
wrlshtior matters Of the law" As police
commissioner In New York he harried
petty offenders against obsolete laws
while burglars and other felons prosecuted
their business with comparative imDuuity
A. lieutenant colonel Of the Rough Riders
who never rode. he was unpleasantly con
spicuous IN the yellow fever r0und-rObln
episode. Was his fantastic campaign f0i
governor IN the fall Gf 1885 even re.
motley suggestive OF Presidential sig
tud Do his course as governor Of the En-
plre state where is there hinJ of Presi
dental capacity? Where, indeed in his
official career IN national. municipal. an,
State affairs has be given proof OF ID,
possession Of those qualities the exercis.
o. which by The President will be indis
peusa5le 20 the welfare OF the country
Even had be- rode al the head Of a column
81 mounted Rough Riders tn Cuba with
gallant "a bearing az be displayed IN hn
rough riding gubernatorial Campaign