Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-11-04
A NEW DEPARTURE.

A NEW DEPARTURE.
The part taken by President
Roosevelt in ending the mi6er,'
strike marks a new departure in
the public conduct of our chief
magistrates. Heretofore our pres.
idents have been men either OF
aris.ocratic traditions and char,
acteristics, as Washington and
the Adamses, or they have held
snch siagniHed views Of the dig.
nifty of the presidential Office as
to preclude them from appearing
before the people in any charac-
ter except that of president. I'm
der similar conditions Jackson
might have attempted what Roos.
velt has, bat the natural impe-
tuosity of his temper would have
caused his failure. Lincoln
alone of all former presidents
probably would have done as
president Roosevelt has; it seems
altogether certain that he alone
could have done SO.
What presidential dignity
would have prevented others
from attempting has enabled
President Roosevelt to accom-
plish, not as president, indeed,
but as the most conspicuous and
influential citizen. He has not
hesitated in a most righteous
purpose because of fear that it
might not comport with presi-
Dental dignity. His action has
not impaired the just sense OF
dignity attaching to the presiden-
tial Office but has rather shed the
light of new dignity upon it in
that it has made noble use of the
sentiment of official dignity.
Nevertheless it is new de-
parture, and as such will be pro-
foundly studied by the most
thoughtful citizens. Should
nothing more be done to change
the status of capital and labor to-
ward each other and of both to-
ward the public the president
would surely better have stood
aloof and observed the establish
ed traditions of his great office.
1t is reasonably certain that if
something further and of more
permanency is not accomplished
the ultimate effect will be to en-
courage labor to further strikes,
and drive capital into more earn
est opposition to the demands of
organized labor. Labor will be
encouraged to make unjust de-
mands relying upon political in
fueHce to carry them through.
Capital will resist such demands
as labor may hereafter make be-
cause they may readily be as
cribed to mere political influence
and partizan interference. This
would be intensifying the evils
of the present conditions. Presi-
dental Intervention might be
undertaken by some president
wholly disqualified by tempera-
ment-seme future Jackson or
Johnson-and the very founda-
tion OF the government shaken
in the resultant conflict.
Measures must be taken to
conserve the full measure of good
made possible by the action of
President Roosevelt, and evident
ly contemplated by him, as well
as to prevent grave mischiefs
which would attend indiscrimi-
nate official meddling with SO
delicate a matter as labor trou-
bles usually are. These meas
ures will be those of government
tai control. The recent occur
rences in connection with the
miners strike, the present situa-
ton and future possibilities of
greater evils than we have suffer
ed all testify to the necessity of
efficient control. The republi-
can party will supply measures
Of control and an executive cour-
ageous and wise enough to adj
them.