The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-06
ROOSEVELT
IS AT HOME
Continued from First Page,

/ the two governments after the Cuban
republic had fairly got upon its feet;
but the remission of duties on this one
! would be in the nature OF donation
| from a paren to a child at parting COM
pany when the child goes forth to make
an independent place for itself in the
world Indeed, something OF this sort
would have been more in the spirit Of the
presidents own recommendation in his
December message, which laid special
stress upon our moral duty as a nation
to make substantial concession TO Cuba,
quite apart from the general desirabiity
Of reciprocal trade arrangements.
But the president, though so strongly
/ impressed with this idea as to be on
the verge of adopting it. was overper>
suaded 10 the course which he afterward
/ did pursue and which led to nothing
Had he put forth the message when it
was first suggested 10 him, he would
! have seized the psychological moment.
/ Congress was in the mood for doing
something generous; the Democrats. who
/ have looked forward all the while to
/ annexation as the finality of our Gu
! ban relations. would have clambered over
/ the Republicans in their eagerness to
! ingrauate themselves with the Cubans;
and the response Of the country would
have been so prompt and so unmistak-
able that the reciprocity policy would
/ have gained irresistible Roadway, ana
would have figured as a Republican
watchword in the campaign this fall.
( But the chance went by. A handful OF
Republican beet sugar enthusiasts, TAX
ing advantage OF the presidents appar-
2 Toa- 11+ .
Democrats saw their opportunity to make
partisan capital out of the possible Re
publican split, and before Mr.. Roose-
welt was fully conscious of what this
opposition meant, il had gathered enough
strength to make a vigorous fight, with
the result which is now in history.
If Secretary Roots training as law
yer has stood him in bad stead in dealing
with a half-host1e congress, President
ROosevelt's instincts as a sportsman have
performed a like unfortunate office for
him. He believes in fighting fair" II
he goes on a bear hunt. he gives the
bear at least an even chance for its life,
he would never pen it in a corner for the
pleasure of starving it to death. When
Congressman come hunting him for fan
cied grievance, he expects equally decent
treatment But he doesn't know all his
hunters. Senator Elkins of West vir-
ginia is a type OF some of them. He
cares about as much for the so-called
principle involved in the beet sugar fight
as an OK cares for a table of logarithms.
But the president had over-ruled his plea
IN behalf Of a dismissed officeholder, and
there were two or three administration
senators who had undertaken to say
what legislation should pass and whar
should not; and Mr. EIkins concluded
to see what one senator could do against
several, with the president thrown in
it was he who headed the the senatorial
eabal that crushed the administration
program.
There were others who. though figuring
outwardly on the side of reciprocity, did
not hesitate in private to refer to it
with a shrug. They were willing to
20 through certain dramatic forms. with
the understanding that the finale should
be inaction Toward the last OF the
struggle they gathered about the presi-
dent and advised him in a fatherly way
not to irritate the feelings of congress
by carrying a vain effort any further
TN after the recess. OF course, he yield
ed; there was nothing else for him to
do
Yet not one of these men had ever hest
tated TO ask of the president all the IA
vors in sight If the course of legislation
was 10 follow a rule OF favor for favor.
his mistake consisted in giving them any
thing till he had got its equivalent in his
own hands He simply assumed that
they would be as fair with him as he
was bound to be with them.
Indeed, TO no slight extent the two
houses have aimed TO ignore the presi- /
dents share in their legislative activities. |
he pure food bill. the bin to admit the
three territories 20 statehood. the Hill
subsidiary silver bin. the resolution TO
change the method Of electing senators. I
and the bin for the Improvement OF the /
revenue marine have gone through one
chamber and entered the other without
any presidential suggestion or encourage
ment. The oleomargarine bill and the bill
repeating the war taxes have become 4
laws in like manner. the presidents only I
share in the proceeding being his sigma /
ture after congress had acted Congress /
men stnl flock TO the presidents ante (
room. grab for their share Of patronage T
ana put ali theeir frknds and depend 4
ents through the hand-shaking mill; then 4
they 80 back TO the capital and vote as
the moments within seizes them. Il is +
doubtful whether three men in the en-
tire as have come in this session and /
said, Mr.. President. let Us sit down
and decide what would be the best thing
for this branch OF the public service.
or What viii be the best course for
the country 70 take in the coming emer-
gency." The language used like the idea
conveyed. is that OF q commercial bar
gain.
Mr.. President what 90 you want?"
"So-and-so.~
What IS the least you viii take2-
.Thus-and-Jhus."
''WeI.. ] don't know whether we can
give it to you. BY the way. when Is
my man going into the postcrice az
Blanktowne
Mr.. Roosevelt has been too long in
public life 10 cherish any serious Illusions
rs 70 the unsldshness Of public men. lie
tries To remember that he vas once a
law maker himself, ln she legislature of
his own state. and 10 put himself men
tally into the place Of these congress
men when they approach him. but they
are NOT. as a rule. made OF his clay or
fashioned in his moulds. lie j. not mex
pcrienced in boss-handling. for he was
governor OF New York Tor time and had
To consult with Tom" Plate bat here
he has eighty -eIeht senatorial NOSES and
sub-bosses 70 treat with He is quite
ready "a be charitable. or diplonatic. Or
generous, or anything else except dis