The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-07-11
ROOSEVELT
Strong With People Of the
Country.
They Admire His Honesty and
Courage
And will Uphold Him in the
Right Against Designing
Politicians.


ington to the Chicago Record Herald,
says that the President has the people
with him, and that the Senators who
won the first move in the Cuban reci-
procity fight do not represent the peo-
|ple. He ssys:
"Is the failure of Cuban reciprocity
going to defeat the nomination OF Pres
ident Roosevelt in 1904? His friends do
not think so. They believe he is
stronger now than ever before. he
may have lost with the politicians, but
he has gained with the people. Sena.
tors who do not like him, and who are
glad of every opportunity to put OBJ
stacles in his way, are gloating over
their victory in the Cuban affair, but
their vision is q narrow one. They
think everything depends upon the lit
tie moves in the game here in Wash.
ington. They overlook the larger fact
that the approval and the confidence oi
the people are the real objectives.
''The Presidents friends say q sena
torial cabal has triumphed temporarily
over him here at the capitol, but de
clare that he has triumphed over then
out among the people, in the actua
source of political power. That is be
cause the President Is right and tn.
politicians are wrong; because he ha,
tried to carry out the national obliga
! tion. while they have defeated IL.
'Some of the shrewdest advisors tn,
President has abont him tell him b,
need not worry over the Cuban defeat
They assure him that he has lost moth
ing of any value, and, on the other hant
has gained very much in popular es
| TEEN. The men who are closest to tn,
President and who are looking out TO
his political interests believe he will b
nominated in 1904 without opposition
They are confident Senator Hanna viii
not be a candidate against him.
''This is the opinion of the Presi
1 dents friends. On both points you
correspondent reserves judgment Il
1 his opinion it is too early to reach
l conclusion as to either.
How much opposition is there L
Roosevelt among the Republican Sena
tors and Representatives? This ques
tion has been often asked. I hav
looked about, made inquiries, com
pared notes with other newspaper men
and am unable to find any serious an,
determined opposition. There ar
Senators and Representatives who hav
felt little pique over the manner i
which the President received ther
when he was in the new White House
They resented being compelled to hav
their talks in the presence of q crow
of callers. Meanwhile the Presiden
has learned q few tricks, and ever
Senator and Representative who goe
to the White House now is accorie
Ia private audience in the cabine
room.
Even at the worst this was q prett
small matter, and the man who coul
take offense at Theodore Roosevelt
manner-and hold it-must be sour In
deed, for q more democratic, franl
manly, sincere man never preside
lover the White House. He is nc
lalways tactful and considerate and cart
full. But every one knows he Is hone;
that he is not playing tricks, that b
is not assembling and deceiving, this
he has none of that ''smoothness
which may be very pleasant at the m'
ment, but which is exceedingly unsa
isfactory in the end.
1t is true that q few Senators hay
taken umbrage in the past, and thi
such small considerations influence
them in their actions on Cuban r
ciprocity. But this is considerable
of little Importance. II is not bi
enough TO be worth reckoning in lool
ing to the future.
, That there is some dislike of II
President among the Republican lea
ers is true. II is due in part to II
cause just mentioned, to Mr.. Roos
} velt's abrupt unwillingness to do ever
thing public men ask him to do in Il
way OF appointments, and-if the tru
must be told-in part also to his you
J and his luck.
Old Senators who have for yea
dreamed Of the presidency and got u
W here near it have been heard brea
ing forth in bitter words over the lu'
( of this young fellow" or this u
} start" or this accidental youth" o
\ veteran Senator l heard say: ''Tt
! youth who came to the White Hou
, on the funeral train will do we'll
? go slow. We won't stand much mt
: keyiDg from him." Probably by q
} time the Senator is ashamed Of hi
I inc uttered such words and am sr