The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-09
ROOSEVELT, THE POLITICIAN.


The evolution Of the politician. Roose-
welt, offers an Interesting subject Of
study. Fifteen years ago or over he ap-
peared in the legislature Of his state.
strenuous, indeed, in the upholding Of
right as he saw 1t. He was at once at
tackled in those days by the leading poll
ticians Of his party, and showed the abil-
ity to defend himself even at the pTinla-
RES. He had run for mayor Of his native
city and been made the victim Of the
same politicians desire for vengeance.
He acted as member Of the police
board, and during every hour of his ca
reer in that Office showed his ability to
take care Of himself in a scrimmage.
Up to his return from Cuba he had shown
face of things at least, an honorable
and courageous public character.
The Hon. Thomas G. Flatt is not given
to looking at the surface of things, how
the Republican nomination for governor
to this strenuous person. And the siren
uous person aforesaid very promptly ac-
cepted it, even though by doing so he
had to break with the class Of political
society, the reformers Of the Parkhurst-
civil service reform order. with whom he
had before acted. Naturally men who
had watched and admired Roosevelt Won
dered whether he had been taken into
camp by Plat There was much differ
ence Of opinion on this score. There Is
not much room for further difference.
While making his wild West" CAM
paign for the Office he now holds Mr..
Roosevelt averred his settled purpose to
send all canal thieves of his party to
state prison The people believed him,
and on his pledge sent him to Albany to
execute their laws. Shortly after his
election he was holding forth at a. county
fair, and when asked about the canal
seed inquirer and told him he was drunk,
later ON adding, by way Of information:
1.-THE charges Of corruption against the
Republican administration Of the canals)
were baseless and discreditable in the
highest degree to those making them"
There was a national election then
pending. in which Roosevelt was one of
the principal spellbinders of the Hanna
Platt-McI<inley administration. And
during It's prevalence. as the event shows,
he "perjured himself like a gentleman"
on the subject of these canal frauds
Within a few days he has sent his first
annual message to the legislature. That
message is an extraordinary document,
and settles for all the time the question
whether Roosevelt has donned the Plat
collar. II shows that he has apparently
become one Of the brightest disciples of
the great master Of machine politics.
He makes this apparent in many ways
In that remarkable message Through it.
now that no election is pending, he finds
himself at liberty to swallow all he ever
said about the canal frauds, and tells
the people that "the delinquencies shown
justified public indignation, but did not
afford ground for criminal prosecution"
No professional politician could show
| more smoothness in getting around the
| sharp edges Of troublesome public ques-
tons. He processes to be hot in favor Of
public ownership, for instance, and
winds up his message on that subject by
| insisting that under all circumstances
| municipalities must continue to own their
own water worksl He processes to be
greatly disturbed over the trusts and the
growing social distinctions. the product
OF unevendy distributed wealth. among the
people; but the only remedy he can see
| for the huge trust which now exists in
New York city in the distribution OF gas