The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-26
RECIPROCITY and RoosEvELE

tlOn IOlOW.
RECIPROCITY And ROOSEVELT
The dispatches say that the president is
studying the reciprocity question. Just
what that means we will not assume the,
province of determining. We will ven
ture, however, the opinion that 1t means
the president has concluded to measure
the forces in favor and those opposed to
the practice as well as the theory of re-
ciprocal trade. If he find the forces in
the protective saddle so strong that to
unseat them would mean a fight and
probable disruption of the Republican
party, the president will make some gem
eral recommendations in his annual mes
sage to congress and throw the burden
upon the senate. Roosevelt wants to be
elected president in 1904, and he will do
nothing which will cause a permanent
split in the party, no matter what may be
New York has convinced him of the
value of being in with the machine while
posing before the public as a reformer.
In this we do not intend to reflect dis
credit upon the reputation of the presi-
dent as a reformer. But all men of ex-
perience know that as age comes on
"the hey-day of the blood is tame. it's
humble, and waits upon the Judgment"
The strenuous young reformer of New
York will be found to have developed into
the national politician, with an eye on
the weather vane of party sccesss.
1t is true that the last words of Presi-
dent Mckinley were spoken for tariff re-
vision and reciprocal trade, but it is also
true that President Mckinley held these
views one year ago and could not impress
them on the senate. The growing de-
mand for tariff revision in the West and
Central states has served only to soItdify
the protected interests. They are organ
lied and prepared for a determined hight.
VIII Roosevelt deem it polite to push a
measure opposed by Lodge and Frye and
Hale, from New England, and Depew,
Platt, Hanna. Foraker, Quay, Fairbanks,
Spooner, Allison, Nelson and a majority
of the balance of the Republican ma
jcrity. not mentioning such other Demo-
cratic half-breeds as McLaurin, from the
South?
1t will be the same old fight, but with
double ranks. The wool growers, the
knit-goods men, the beet-sugar grafters,
the fruit raisers, the tobacco growers,
and the whole batch of protected leeches.
too numerous to mention, will be in
Washington in force. A lobby with
money, and consequently influence, will
preach the beauties of continued high
tariffs Where persuasion will not
reach, threats will do the work We
had numerous and shining examples Of
that last winter in the attitude of our
Western senator's toward the ship sub
sidy bill. They dared not oppose the
measure for fear that the Hanna crowd
would knock their oleomargarine
trust. is there any evidence that Sena-
tor Lodge has forsaken the manufacture
ers of knit goods for the French reel
procity treaty? Will the Ohio and Mon
tana senators support the Argentine
treaty? Will the Colorado senators favor
free sugar? No one believes for min.
ute that United States senator will
vote for measure opposed by strong
interest in his state They are not
made of that kind of stuff
What will Roosevelt do in such den?
Can he, by his strenuosity, convert mere
pot-house politicians into statesmen?
When he proves that he can, by taking
thought, change water to wine, or add
one cubit to his stature, he will be ready
to tackle the question of reciprocity with
some hope of success. The Republican
senators revere the late president; they
would all join in a declaration that he
was one of the greatest statesmen the
nation has known; but will they follow
his dying words? Never, If a personal
interest happens to intervene.