The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-01
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
STARTLES HIS FRIENDS.
Disrupts His Alleged to
Have Assumed Airs Of Dictator.

Chicago, ILL.,, Dec. 26.-The Chron-
icle prints the following telegram from
it's Washington correspondent:
President Roosevelt has introduced
the strenuous life into his admlnlstra-
tion in e manner that is causing even
his friends and admirers to gasp with
astonishment.
He has completely disrupted his
| Cabinet.
He has antagonized and de6ed two
thirds of the members Of Congress with
whom he has come in contact IN an
He has issued dictum to the Re
publican majority in regard to Cuban
reciprocity that is more distasteful to
the high tariff leaders than any other
paper which has come out OF the
Wbite House since Grover Cleveland
wrote his celebrated tariff message.
He has offended certain influential
members by promising to make GER
tain appointments and then reversing
his decisions without notifying the
Senators. He has broken promises
which were regarded as speclhc ana
permanent.
He has assailed the Republican Ma
tional Committee for the purpose OF
building up a political machine Of his
own. He has set out to destroy Sen
ator Hanna by appointing Henry Z.
Payne, of Wisconsin, Postmaster Cen
eral.
He has broken down every tradition
of the White House that has been held
sacred. He has made favorites Of
some of his Cabinet advisers and open
ly exhibited his dislike and contempt
for the others.
He caused the Attorney General to
issue an order commanding United
States Marshals and District Attor-
neys to keep out of active politics, but
is making no effort to enforce it. He
announced very soon after he came to
Washington that Federal officials who
violated civil service laws would lose
their places. He. reappointed United
States District Attorney Vaughn, of
Alabama, who was clearly proved to
be guilty of violating the civil service
laws, and afterWard caused announce
ment to be made that Vaughn would
not be appointed.
He constituted Secretary of War
Elihu Root keeper of his official con-
science and for time made Mr.. Root
the most conspicuous man connected
with his administration. Then, with
out reason or explanation, he sudden
ly transferred his favor to Attorney
General Knox. When he became Pres
ident he was in favor Of change IN
the State Department because, his
friends said, he did not like the quail
ity of Americanism exhibited by Sec
retary Hay. Now he is trying to keep
Hay. He has repeatedly exhibited those
human qualities which most Presidents
of the past have successfully hidden
by snubbing or otherwise i'll treating
men in public life who were under
stood to be candidates for President.
The case of Senator Fairbanks, Of
Indiana, is one in point. He persuad-
ed the members of the Mckinley Cabi-
net to accept reappointments at his
hands with the understanding that they
were to remain during the full term
of his administration. He has sedu-
lousy devoted himself to the task of
freezing out those members of the
Cabinet whom he does not happen to
like by treating them as high-prlced
clerks.
These are few of the causes of com
plant against the President which one
hears in Washington. There are many
others that are being publicly discuss
ed. They will be heard from, how
ever, before Congress ends its present
session. Senators who occupy high
places in the Republican party, and
who have had disagreeable experiences
at the White House are not saying
much about their troubles. They think
it is too early in the new administra-
tion to make issues of the incidents
which have caused them humiliation
and annoyance, but soon or later endur-
ance will cease to be virtue and
President Roosevelt will be made to
feel the power which has destroyed so
many Of his predecessors.
It cannot be said Of the President
that he is unconscious of the peril
which is threatening him, for, if his
public acts can be taken as a criter-
ion. he is inviting it. Men who hail
ed his advent to the White House with
rejoicing and who predicted for him
successful administration are now
either secretly or openly arrayed
against him. They are charging that
he does everything upon impulse and
not after consideration Of the conse-
quences of his acts. They charge,
moreover, that the last person who
gets the Presidents ear is usually the
successful one, regardless of promises
he may have previously made. There
seems to be certain amount of JUS
tice in this charge.
Comparison of his attitude toward
Admiral Schley at the present time
with that of two months ago is fair
sample of the way he changes his
mind. After the evidence adduced be
fore the Court of Inquiry was nearly
all in and the merits of the case
against the Admiral had been disclos-
ed, it is known that he believed Admi-
raj Schley was the victim of con-
spiracy and that he said he held
Crowninshield, Chadwick and some
others responsible for it. Since then
his close confdants have been men
:lo.+;GoJ Nth tho NOW clinOa and hi {