The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-08
ROOsEvELT's FUTURE,

| 1t appears that there is being formed
| In Washington a sort of local opinion
that is adverse to President Roosevelt.
Washington is a town Of officeholders and
their families, and any president who does
not run things in accordance with the
rigid notion of the office holding caste is
| likely to find himself in poor reAbte in
Washington. 1t is the only city in the
country where office-holding opinion is
public opinion, and where public ques-
lions are viewed in the light of the eter-
| nal fitness of things as it shines upon the
man who esteems himself possessed Of a
divine right to office.
1t Is therefore good for the president
to have men like State Auditor Dunn
call on him and assure him that he is
strong with the people and that Wash
ington opinion is no more American nat
! 1onal opinion than Bismarck opinion is
North Dakota opinion. Information of
this kind will strengthen him in his pur-
pose to do right at all times without
too much consideration of vitiating po-
litical eXpediency
Aside from Washington opinion the
president may be deceived to his great
| injury by the attitude of the leading poll
ticians towards him. He is distinctly
not the man the political leader likes.
Not only is he too much of leader him
self, but he probably takes less salts
faction in political maneuvering than any
other president He is too fond of direct
methods to cooperate with men to whom
the very essence of life is shrewd schem-
ing. Moreover there is very lit
tie in the president for the politicians.
He is too independent. He can't be
reckoned as certain quantity in setting
up the patronage pins. .-
Yet it would not be strange that with
use the attractions of the presidency
should grow on him. 1t has been as
serted that the president keenly enjoys
being president and that he takes a solid
satisfaction in despatching business and
welding the impressive powers the con-
stitution and the statutes confer upon
the office. In proportion as the desire for
| a second term grows upon him he may be
| tempted to recede from his superb indie
leading politicians. fearing that it may
after all be in their power to defeat him
Right here again Is where the president
needs direct line of communication with
the people. They are emphatically for
him. They are SO firmly convinced that
he is thoroughly sincere president with
the highest ideals of the duties of his high
office and thoroughly imbued with true
patriotism, that they will accept without
great displeasure many individual acts
of which they do not approve.
If he only understands how strong he
! is with the people the president can go
right on as he has been going without the
least concern as to a second term. If he
keeps up the high grade sort of public
| service he has been giving us not all the
politicians in the world can beat him
The people themselves will turn poll
ticians for the nonce for the satisfaction
of beating the professionals if they find
that the latter are against the president.
AT Philadelphia Governor Roosevelt
was nominated for the vice presidency
because the delegates-the rank and file
were bound to have him, regardless of the
| party's sages and leaders President
Roosevelt can even more easily have the
republican nomination in. 1904 if he just
keeps on doing what his conscience and
his Judgment approve as right.