The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-24
BAS HIS ONN IDEAS
Roosevelt viii be President
While in Office.
He FAVORS THE CANAL
And viii Build 1t When He
Gets an Appropriation


falo, concerning his plans for the three
coming years, consisted of mere outlines
as befitted so informal an utterance. Il
any value attaches to the opinion of a
personal friend of several years standing
who has had exceptional opportunities to
study him on a side which is not COM
monty turned towards the public, it would
be pretty safe to fill in some Of these out
lines without waiting for the event.
The first great question with which the
new President will have to deal Will be
that Of the Isthmian canal His brief
summary of his policy on this point is:
''The building and completion, as soon as
is possible, Of the Isthmian canal, so as to
give direct water communication with the
coasts Of Central America, South America
and Mexico" In view of his assertion
Of his .aim to continue absolutely I'M
broken the policy Of President Mckinley
for the peace, prosperity. and honor Of
the country" it is assumed in many
quarters that Mr.. Roosevelt viii make
evry effort to further the construction Of
a neutral canal. With one modifcs ton,
purposes he has always favored, and viii
continue to favor, the neutrality of the
coming canal but his idea is as fixed as
ever that, for war purposes neither our
country nor any other combination of
others, should guarantee the neutrality
of tbs waterway. He doubtless realizes
as fully as any one the improbability that
any foreign nation would attempt to send
her wsr-ships through the canal on a
hostile errand; and on the general princi-
pie Of net advocating the impracticable
or providing against the inconceivable, he
would withhold guarantees which he ex-
poets never to see called into operation.
The case presents itself to his mind like
a grant, in q genera deed of conveyance,
of right OF way, which in all human
probability would never be used. Different
persons would look at such a thing differ
emily. One would argue that if the right
were never to be used, it would do no
harm to grant it; his neighbor would re-
tort that it is foolish to cloud a title with
an encumbrance which is to be of no use
TO any one.
However, such a discussion is now
academic. The cana treaty which will
be sent to the senate next winter viii con-
tain the substance of all the Senate
amendments to the original Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty without their offensive form.
This. it is believed, viii satisfy every
diplomatic demand on both sides Of the
water, and the canal viii follow as soon
as decision can be reached upon the
route and the requisite appropriation can
be obtained from Congress.
The next point likely to be raised con-
Germs revenue reform. Here, some clue to
President Roosevelts future conduct may
be obtained by noting the course his edu-
cation has taken. He was graduated from
Harvard at a time when practically every
man turned out from that institution was
an ardent free-trader, and he then held
to his free trade doctrine as stanchIy as
the rest. But what we may call. for lack
OF more satisfactory term, the 'Iogic
Of events" made him afterwards a pro-
tectionist. though leaving his mind in
such an attitude that free trade appeals
TO it as the ideal condition towards
which a Logically controlled protective
system must tend. In general terms, per
haps. the difference between him and the
ordinary tariff Teformer is that they are
approaching the same economic end from
opposite directions. It viii be recalled
that another New York Republican, rails
cd suddenly from the second place in the
Government TO the first, devoted a large
share Of two successive annual messages
TO tax reform-remidding Congress, be-
fore he had been in the White House
three months, that I'VE may well consider
whether it is not the part of wisdom to
reduce the revenues. even IL we delay q
little the payment of a debt" and that
the time has arrived when the people
may justly demand some relief from their
present erroneous burdens" President
Roosevelt may be found agreeing with
President Arthur that the present tariff
system is in many respects unjust. It
makes unequal distribution both Of its
burdens and its benefits" and echoing
his recommendation Of AN enlargement
OF the free list, so as TO include within il
the numerous articles which yield incon-
siderable revenue. a simplifcation OF the
complex and Inconsistent schedule OF
duties upon certain manufactures.
and q substantial reduction OF the duties
upon those articles" and others. On the
SUBJECT of reciprocity no one is more keen
Is alive 10 the advantages Of an inter
change OF concessions with the countries
with which we have commercial relations:
but, on the other hand. no one appreciates /
more the difficulty OF inducing a favorable
vote on reciprocity treaties from Senate
81 which each member is logging out Tor
the Industries o. his own state rather than
Tor those Of the country at large.
u
ed for AIr. Roosevelt by any one else. nor
would 1t be safe 10 say that ne expects by
the end o5 his three CT four years In
office to bring this 10 definite and dnal
solution. A better statement of his views
would doubtless be that in the course 81
four years the Fflpiuos cen be carried a
long distance forward or their way to-
wards sclf-government IL is inconceiv-
able that a man &C ar. Rcosevolts moral
type would favor the retention of colonies +
rnc7eiy for the sake of retaining them. II
n-ajoritics bath OF the coicrists and Of the
citizens Of the parent country fransly de-
sired separation: II is equally out Of
tle question f7r a1y one who knows the
WORKINGS ~ lis mia5 IL suppose him in
faFor OF tur.nE ss-a people IS the
tlip.nc- ioose Upon me sisteshosI - Che
WAYS of satfS8TtrrilE commorWellths.
He wol.l teli seu that IL S. nrser so OBJ
pr -iaass cirillzsr. but i,e v.o,.l
hrv 3Ee q pearse eAralle nf -assius
irtsl s-o.g up9a the Q-estian of rh.ir
p-rr.4aei- f1tare f9rra ot geverilra 70 tlll
t.ler la5 t-st.d ana tested what be re-
Sands - she ..eal farna
WHAT vil as oar rew Fresilsut-s atfi-
3