Middletown transcript., 1901-09-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.

4 fTeSlQenG hOOSeVelG mas announced his
, desire that all the members of the present
) Cabinet retain their places Like most
of the news authorized by him, this in
formation is decisive and unqualified
He has way of telling the newspaper
men just as much OF his business as he
thinks fit, and then, with a pleasant
smile, shutting his mouth and the door
on them simultaneously. This is all
right for the press representatives who
are really after the news, but it is hard
on the sensation mongers. They have
no hints or rumors, or half-truths on
which to build headlines.
*x*
There is considerable sensation, how
ever, in this simple announcement, for
very few people thought that Roosevelt
would do just what he has done. All
sorts Of surmises were flying about con-
corning the changes in the Cabinet,
which were Immediately to take place,
and some audacious Washington Core
spondents had the temerity to state
positively that nearly the whole Cabinet
would suffer sea-change into some
thing rich and strange" They even
resigning officers and of those who would
pointed to find that after all this cackIing
they have really nothing of Importance
to tell 1t is hard when the advertise
ment is more exciting than the show.
There is only one sensation in it instead
of half dozen, and that one is that a
man who was thought by many people to
be radical, almost revolutionary, turns
out to be wisely conservative.
~
Those who know Roosevelt well, how
ever, are not so much surprised as others.
His action in this matter has steadied
public sentiment, established confidence
in him and in the administration, and
had good effect in every way. Nothing
could have been gained by a change
which has not been won twice over by
his conservatism, and it has had all the
stronger effect because unexpected If
| Roosevelt had been a weak or common
place man, one who followed the beaten
path because it is easiest, his decision
might have been considered merely the
resultant of several co-existing party
| forces, and his stability would have only
| been matter of the continued union of
these forces. But he is not that kind of
man; his worst enemies never accused
| him of being easily influenced. He chose
this course because his judgment and his
instincts told him that it was best; and
if the whole party had been against it he
would have done the same thing. This
being so, his steadiness and conservatism
can be depended upon until circumstances
plainly indicate that it is best to move,
and then he will do so, just as he retained
the Cabinet, on his own responsibility.
~
Some of the Senators of Roosevelt's
party, and other prominent public men,
who have been interviewed, plainly show
by their comments their thorough ap-
proval of the new Executive Senator
Frye of Maine said ''The business men of
New England seem to be impressed with
the fact that there will be no change of
policy, in spite of the fact that a new
man is at the helm of state. Under such
conditions there need be no halt in bust
ness enterprises"
*x*
Speaker Henderson said, "My observa-
ton is that the business men of the
country have confidence in President
Roosevelt, and are going on just the
same as if President Mckinley was alive.
*x*
Ex-senator Washburn said: 81 have
taken pains to sound business men to-
ward the new administration, and on
every hand / found them, great and
small, confident that President Roosevelt
fully understood the interests of the
country and would deal with them safely
and wisely"
Senator Depew says: Gin forty-eight
hours President Roosevelt has placed us
upon solid ground"
M
Senator Spooner said: "No one could
be more anxious to give to the country
an administration which will promote
rather than retard its progress than Pres
ident Roosevelt"
M
As for Hanna, Platt, and the other
prominent Republican leaders, they do
not disguise their satisfaction at this turn
of affairs; and some of the Democratic
leaders have also expressed unqualified
approval, though they have not sowed it
abroad to quite such an extent as those
of the other party.
*4*
The alleged interview stating that
Roosevelt would not be candidate for
President in 1904 has been branded as
fake. Mr.. Roosevelt has admitted that
be did say something which might be
considered to amount to that, and it was
this: that while, in other circumstances,
he might have thought of such candi-
dacy as possible, the tragic event which
made him President had made it impos-
sible for him to contemplate any active
work in that direction. This would
seem to be self-evident.
~
Another yarn which has been broken
off short is the one to the effect that Sec
retary Hay and Mr.. Roosevelt were at
loggerheads on the subject of the 18th
mian canal 1t is true that at first Mr..
Roosevelt did not approve of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty as whole; but he has
modified his opinions somewhat, and
after the treaty was defeated in the SEN
ate it likewise underwent some changes.
1t Is said by those on the inside that
there is likelihood, almost certainty,
that the treaty leading to the construc-
ton OF the 1sthmian canal will be rati-
fed within a year.
nv
One of the things in which President
Roosevelt is certain to take active inter-
0SO A1 VIC 4uSo01Oil Vi COlOuldl aQmlQlSLrd-
ton. General Wood believes that by
next June the Cubans will be ready to
take care of themselves. 1t is comfort
ing to remember that General Wood and
President Roosevelt got their experience
Of Cuba side by side, are warm personal
friends, and understand each other thro-
oughly.
~
On the whole, however, the most no.
table thing in this weeks news is the
promptness with which yellow journalism
has been squelched. Roosevelt's way of
stopping sensational stories reminds one
of the old story of the man
With one leg, who had an inquisitive
elbow traveller, and finally agreed, in or
Ter to put stop to the mans intermin-
sble questions, to tell how he lost his leg
IN condition that he should not be asked
mother question. The fact is, che said,
1t was bit Off. A great many budding