The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-09-27
MIR. ROOSEVELT AND THE
POLITICIANS.

opportunity to prove his quality as
fighter in behalf Of more liberal tariff
policy. 1t has more than once happened
that man who had displayed the highest
courage on the field of battle was unable
to resist the politicians of his party.
General Grant as soldier was reputed to
be a commander of indomtabe will, of
the highest courage and of unyielding
pertinaclty. Yet as President he was
led by the politicians. President Roose-
welt is a superior type of man to General
Grant, although the latter possessed many
good qualities. 1t now remains to be
seen whether the scholar in politics."
who is also the soldier, will be able to
hold his own against the influences which
will be opposed to him when he attempts
to introduce the principle of reciprocity
in trade into our commercial relations
with other nations.
A Washington dispatch printed in The
Sun Monday stated that Republican SEN
ators from number of States which
have interests that will be affected by
the proposed reciprocity treaties have
indicated a purpose to antagonize any
policy which proposed to give tariff
concessions to the nations to which we
sell our surplus products. 1t was the
late President McKinley's :olicy to deal
more generously with our foreign Gus
TONERS, and as President Roosevelt has
announced his intention to carry out Mr.
McKinley's program he will have most
interesting contest on his hands if he
stands by his guns. The Senators from
from producing States, those who
represent States engaged in the manufac
ture Of knit goods, cheap jewelry and
cutlery Senators from States in which
there are glass industries Pacific Slope
Senators in whose States the cultivation
of fruits is fourishing; Senators from the
tobacco producing sections of the coun-
tIy-all these interests have been arrayed
against reciprocity in the past and will an
tagonize the policy of more liberal trade
arrangements as soon as it is revived by
President Roosevelt. On the other hand,
there is a considerable number of manu-
facturers who advocate reciprocity as the
most practical means of extending the
foreign trade of the United States. They
had already manifested disposition to
support President McKinley's policy, and
they will doubtless exert all the influence
they can command in helping President
Roosevelt to carry out the program of his
predecessor
President Roosevelt will need all the
courage which he is said to possess to re-
sist the influence that will be arrayed
against him. The proposed reciprocity
treaty with Argentina involves some con-
cessIons to the South American Republic
in the matter of wool Any proposition
to give the American people cheaper wool
will arouse the Ohio shepherds to the point
of frenzy, and President Roosevelt will
find himself confronted at the very outset
of his administration by the opposition Of
Senators Hanna and Foraker. The trea-
ty with France provides for concessions
which Will make the Pennsylvania Sena-
tors the most determined enemies of reci-
procity. while the New England Senators
will also be moved to anger. All these
States are Republican States-in fact,
they constitute the stronghold of Repub-
licanism. Will President Roosevelt do
what he conceives to be his duty at the
risk of alternating the interest upon which
his party has depended heretofore for
success in elections 1t will take Pres
ident of invincil lie courage to raise the
banner of reciprocity under such circum-
stances especially if that President has
political aspirations that extend beyond
his first term. 1t is we'll for Mr.. Roose-
welt that he is IA man of strong convictions
nd an aggressive fighter if he intends to
inaugurate policy of trade reciprocity
during his administration. He can win
if he is determined to win, but the Sena-
tors of his party who represent protected
interests will make it warm for him be-
fore the battle is ovcr-Baltimore Sun
1t was stated by some correspondents
that Roosevelt had positively said that he
would not be candidate for the Presi-
dency in 1904. He has denied this inter
view point blank, but he admits that what
he really said was something like this
That while he was Vice President he had
considered such candidacy and begun to
work for it, but since the tragic event
which made him President he could not
make any personal canvass for the nomi-
nation. Anybody can see that. But it is
thought that he would not refuse to take
the candidacy if it should happen to be
offered to him, and that is as far as it is
proper for him to go at this early stage of
affairs.