The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-04-11
TIE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.

president ROOSEVELT'S first
/ speech of any length, delivered at
charleston on Wednesday, is remark
able more for its words than for it's
thoughts. 1t contains a large number
Of the former and very few Of the lat
ter. The utterances are more those Of
a politician planning a campaign for
reelection than uf a chief executive
voicing. honest sentiments regardless Of
their effect.
The Pre- sident devoted far the great
er part a his speech to what IS known
on the street as hot air 1t was nat
ural. and perhaps necessary, for him
to tell the southerners how much he
loved them and what good people they
are, but ne rather over-played his
part His claim OF Sinship to the,
South Carolinans, by virtue of an
cestors some hundreds Of years re-
moved. furnishes a rem nder Of Chi
cago's most astute politician, Carter
Harrison the elder. Mr.. Harrison was
a Pole before Poles. a Scandinavian
among Scandinaylans. an Italian
among Italians. And, by the same
token. he had about as much founda-
ton for his claim as President ROose-
veit has to kinship with the people o.
Seuth Carolina.
In his proud statement that the Re
publican party had given Cuba its lib
erty in spite of the belief in certain
quarters that the premise would not be
fulfilled, President Roosevelt omitted
one important detail. That Was the
acknowledgment made on the floor Of
the house OF re- .resentatives by Con-
gresham Grosvenor OF Ohio that the
Democrats had forced the Republicans
TO give Caba self-gOvernment. His in
cldentaI reference, or rather, his in
ferentiaI reference, to the subject OF
Cuban reciprocity. while vague, is the
one feature OF his speech that ap-
pr0acses Importance.
He said: we are wealthy and
powerful country dealing with a much
weaker one, and the contrast in wealth
and strength makes it all the more our
duty to deal with Cuba as we have al
ready dealt with ner. in a spirit of
cidenee. at the very moment VIXEN
President Roosevelt was talking for
generosity toward Cuba, Republican
congrsssmen were arguing against
granting the island the miserable tariff
reduction proposed by the house COM
nittee on ways aud means.
Very. Zin.erly ald the president touch
"a
handled it with gloves, but he used g
pair of Iong-handled tongs as we'll
After combinations have reached 9
certain stage. he said. sit is indispen-
sable to the general welfare that The
nation should exercise over them, eau
tiousIy aud with self-restraint, buf
firmly, the power of supervision ans
regulation" If ever d politician per
mittsd himself the luxury of a glitter
ing generality" Theodore Roosevelt
did it in this instance.
one other statement made by TIT
president was in the nature of an ad
mission. He said that it was impossi
Bile to legislate a nation into prosperity
That is TO say, the country is prosper
Gus. not because Of Republican legisla
ton, but in spite of it. On this pOin
the people generally VIII heartily agre
with the president. b IS ingenious ut
(erance IS commended to the prayerfu
consideration of the speubinders of tn
approaching campaign.
President RoOsevelts remarks on In
Philippines, his defense of the arm,
transport scandals and other unsavor,
matters connected with his administra
zion were made under his breath. A
least the stenOgraphers at Charlesto
failed to catch them and the countr
must wait until some future time 70
enlightenment