Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-20
A PUBLICITY PRESIDENT.
Relieves IN Letting the People Know
what lie H. Doing.
Wnll slreet Ionrnal.

wall street Journal.
President Roosevolt's name Ia identified
with tho policy OF publicity as applied to
the affairs Of the corporations, just as
Blaino's was Identified with the policy OF
reciprocity and McFinley's with that OF the
protective tarln. II IS a great thlng for a
statesman 20 attach his name to some dis
%tlnctlvc governmental policy, especially II
that policy relates to one OF the questions
81 Immediate interest and Importance to
tho people OF the country. Mr.. Roosevelt
did not discover publicity. but ne has the
credit Of having adopted II as n remedy for
most Of tho evils that attach to the trusts
and ms having been able to have II actually
enacted into law.
But sometimes q statesman who Is eager
and able TO apply a policy TO others is I'M
willing to apply n 20 his own affairs. It
Is, therefore, OF interest to know that Presi-
dent Roosevclts rule in the conduct OF the
White House business Is the rule OF pub
licity.
No other president. II is safe to say, has
ever transacted business so much in the
open. by this we do not mean that there
Is any unwise exposure OF executive policy
before the time is ripe for publication. Mr..
Roosevelt is not continually rushing into
print. He never says in haste what he In
tends to do, to repent in leisure after he has
discovered that what he promised was I'M
wise. For a man who has the reputation
OF being impetuous and even erratic, Mr..
Roosevelt has In fact developed a rare con-
servatism OF executive speech and action.
But no one has visited the White House
during the time he has been president with
out being impressed with the wholesome
air of publicity that pervades the place.
No one is seen there putting his hand to
the side OF his mouth and whispering in the
ear of another that no one else may posi-
bly, hear. There is no doing Of business in
a corner or in the dark. Whatever the
president chooses to say he says right out
loud, so that all who care to do so may
hear, and often, indeed, he speaks so siren
uously that one cannot help hearing. This
may sometimes be embarrassing to others,
but 1t is a safeguard for himself, and a
guarantee, so far as he is concerned, that
the business in hand is to be conducted
without suspicious mystery.
There Is a frankness and opennes about
all that the president does that is a proof
of his sincerity and honesty. He may be
brusque at times, but It Is brusqueness
without a string. There is something re-
freshing and healthy in the way in which he
goes through the e~xacting routine of the
White House business. His visitors are
sometimes startled by the frankness with
which he may announce his decision in
some important matter in their presence
and it is a sure proof of his ability to read
the character OF those who call upon him
that the confidence he places in their dis
erection is so seldom abused.
The men who don't like this kind Of
thing are the politicians who delight to pull
secret wires and surround all they do with
an impenetrable veil Of mystery. Imagine
the feelings of one Of these men going tC
the president to exercise his pull in be.
half of some candidate for office and hear.
ing the president talk out loud about II
before a group of persons. That some havt
taken offense is probably true, but that the
interests Of the public business are ad.
vanced by such a policy there can be nc
question.