The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-03-21
ROOSEVELT AND THE POLL
TICIANS.

The Washington correspondent OF
the Minneapolis Journal in speaking
of President Roosevelt, says that he
is rather too strenuous for the average
nolitician "who is accustomed to going
about in gum shoes and talking in
corner under his breath. The presi-
dent is entirely too open and above
board to please such, bat it is course
which takes with the people. Then
too, says the correspondent, he is do
ing things, and he calls attention to
the presidents railroad policy, by
which he has announced that he pro-
poses to enforce the Interstate COM
merce law and find out wherein its
weakness and its claimed injustice
lies. And his announcement has al
ready brought the roads to their knees,
as it were, and traffic associations,
which may be in violation OF the
Sherman law, are being disbanded as
RAPIDLY a possible. sit is a bold
policy" the correspondent states,
land a man less courageous would not
thus wilfully invite the unrelenting
opposition of forces which by reason of
financial strength, have been powerful
factors in political campaigns for
many years. - Turning to Roosevelt 8
possibilities in 1904, the writer says
that 'his trouble will be in getting
the nomination. Probably no force
on earth could defeat him at the
polls" The correspondent further re-
fers to the ia t that certain political
interests are canvassing the available
ity of Senator Hanna as presidential
candidate in 1904, and have already
brought several well-known news
papers in the east to their assistance.
In this connection the story related
by the Washington correspondent OF
the Chicago Inter Ocean is of interest.
1t seems that the register of the
treasury is a negro, and great ad-
mirer of Senator Hanna, and an ad-
vocate of his nomination for the presi-
dency in 1904. Booker T. Washington
is close friend of Lyons as we'll as
of the president. and at recent visit
to the white house advocated the
formers re-appointment, as his term
is about to expire, and to this the
president readily consented, as he felt
that Lyons was credit to his race
and deserving of recognition. Later
Washington informed Lyons of the
presidents determination. The latter
was of course pleased, but he felt that
Roosevelt should be informed or his
feeling toward the Ohio senator and
that he would support him in case he
was a candidate for the nomination.
This troubled Washington somewhat,
but he went and informed the presi-
dent. President Roosevelt listened to
the statement, and then said with
much emphasis that this settled the
fate of Lyons. He would reappoint
him any way because he had the
courage of his convictions and was
loyal to his friends. The president
further directed Washington to inform
Lyons that he would be reappointed
and that he need have no embarrass-
ment in holding to his old friends and
standing loyal to his political con-
yictions.
The correspondent further says that
the story was repeated to Senator
Hanna, who was both amused and
pleased. But the senator said he was
not surprised as it was in keeping
with the presidents whole life and
not an exceptional case. The Senator
said the president had not tried to i'm
press upon his appointees the impress
sion that they owed any loyalty to
him, but that they owed all loyalty to
the government. The senator further
added, according to the correspondent,
that he "did not think Lyons would
be embarrassed in 1904, as there would
be only one candidate before the
Republican convention, and his name
would be Roosevelt.
This indicates that again, as in 1895,
the politicians are noting the drift of
the will of the people, and there is
no more discerning man in this respect
than Senator Marcus A. Hanna.