West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-10-10
WASHlNGTONlETTER Err.
President Roosevelt Untrammeled
by Any Debt to the Politicians.
Schley Court OF Inquiry stu in Session.

by Any Debt to the Politicians.
Schley Court or Inquiry still In Session.
From our regular correspondent
WAsHINCToN, October 7, 1901.
From chance remarks dropped in
hotel lobbies and government cor
ridors, it may be easily surmised
that Republican leaders, that is the
Republican party workers. are very
much of the impression that they
have in the White House an entirely
unknown, not TO say cratic quantity
When Roosevelt was Civil Service
Commissioner he was enthusiastic
for Civil Service reform, insisting
that merit was the only qualification
for governmental employment, and,
at times, seriously irritating those
politicians who considered that
party fealty should receive its re-
ward in patronage.
II !
When Mr.. Roosevelt became
Governor of the State of New York
he found himself so seriously obi
gated to the politicians that it was
impossible to disregard their advice
and their claims. Nevertheless, in
his attitude towards the great cor
porations, in his efforts to effect
State civil service reform and in his
defeating the scheme for making
the New York police force the tool
of the Republican politicians, he so
antagonized 'rhe machine" that
Senator Platt exerted his utmost
effort to clay him on the shelf" by
showing him into that political
graveyard, the vice-presidency.
/ / /
As result of this Mr.. Roosevelt
has assumed command untrammeled
by any promise or debt to any
individual or faction and while he
has proved urbanity itself to those
politicians who have had occasion
to call upon him, no one can in the
least foretel! how he is going to
handle the practical side of Repub-
lican politics and every faction is
on the anxious seat.
I / /
Another source of anxiety is the
probability of the Democratic can
didate being dark horse. If Mr..
Roosevelt will subordinate his per-
sonal views to the party will, its
leaders believe, stand every chance
of re- election but if the administra-
ton is erratic from the politicians
standpoint, if the President does
not do all in his power to concil-
ate the varying factions and does
not enable the party bosses to
properly reward the line workers
there is no telling what havoc
good Democrat, brought forward
at the last moment and properly
managed may play
/ / /
On the other hand, the politicians
are trying to reassure themselves
by the report that Mr.. Roosevelt
has summoned Mr.. Plat to Wash
ington for a conference on the
situation in New York and that he
will bring to 'Platt's aid all the
resources of his experience both as
candidate for Mayor and as Gov
ernor of New York. 1t is certain
that, If he will, the President can
put some valuable ammunition into
the hands of the New York Senator.
in the way of patronage. But will
he? that is the question.
TIT
1t certainly looks as if the Stee
Trust ought to add a little more
water to its stock. The spectacle
of this gigantic "fnfant industry"
showing a profit of nearly SIS, 900,
900 on the six months business
just ended and that Notwithstanding
II was during those six months the
great strike occurred, is not one
that is likely to prove of benefit to
the Republican party. After the
all too realistic pictures we have
seen Of the suffering among labor
ing men caused by the strike and
the comfortless, cherries and
crowded condition of the laborers'
homes even before the strike. we
cannot help asking where is the
benefit to the American laborinp
man which this Government fed
"fnfant" is supposed to work? This
is question the Republican party
will probably have to answer in the
next campaign