Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-12-18
THE POLITICAL ICEBERG

1t is not cOpS0ilng TO Tue lTlehoo VI
President Roosevelt to know that with
all the efforts made by harmony din
ners. and harmony talks, and sweet
sentences from United States Senators
and National Committeeman asserting
that there can be no doubt OF Mr..
Roosevelt's nomination, that there still
is a we'll defined murmur of disapprov-
al, not only as to him as safe execu-
tive head, but likewise because ne mas
so many elements of political weak
ness, that there is grave doubt OF
winning with him at the head OF the
ticket. Those who with their mouths
declare for him are often known TO
have their hearts far from him, and
whilst be is acknowledged to be the
logical candidate. he is nevertheless
not the candidate who can enthuse, or
magnetic the people. His candidacy
is like load of ice, cold. cherries
and tending to chills, rheumatism ana
pneumonia. If anybody has heard
anybody shouting 'Rah for Roosevelt"
at any time or place since the death OF
Mr.. Mckinley, that person hearing IL
and that person doing the shouting
are positively unknown to the general
public. Every morning the Presidents
back is stiffened by assurances gotten
over night from somebody who thinks
he is close enough to Mr.. Hanna to
know that Mr.. hanna will not be a
candidate. but no such promise has
ever been made under Mr.. Hanna's
hand and seal, and will not be made.
Mr.. Hanna will in due season go out
as chairman of the National Commit
tee. and thus there will be no embar
rasment on that score. His home
papers are pressing him with great
vigor, and one by one papers not at
home are doing the same thing. The
reasons given for their choice seem
cogent, and the undercurrent is their
way. Anybody with any kind OF an
ear may put it to the ground and hear
noises. 1t is needless to say that Wall
Street perfers Mr.. Hanna. The Great
Northwestern Railways on account OF
the Northern Securities suit, have
long since had knife up their sleeve.
Capital, using the word in Its broad
sense, has never smiled since he under
took to arbitrate labor troubles, anc
as so little resulted to labor from the
movement, Labor is not shouting fol
him. His handling of the race problem
has been as awkward as a bowerJ
tough in a dress suit, and so very dis
tasteful to large part Of the nation
that he has lost the support and es
TEEN of hundreds of thousands o.
white people, whilst he has nevel
gained single negro vote, in fact th'
negroes are far more enthusiastic fol
Mr.. Hanna than for him. The public
feeling, we may say, is just the SAM
in regard TO him as the personal feel
ing one has on meeting him. We ven
ture that not living American saw
the few who surround him daily, o.
fawn on him, ever went to see him tina
be did not come away with feeling
indiscribable. a sort of disgust, an(
and nausea. He don't fit. he is thu
opposite of all that man in public
life should be, as to manner and ad
dress. He is brusque. lordly, arrogant
domineering, and self opinionated, h'
meets and dismisses those about him
as If be were King, and they his vas
sails. He will get the nomination VIZ
hope. With such a candidate the pc
litical thermometer will hover about
zero all the time. If the Democrats
can't beat him they can't beat any.
body and ought to quit trying. If Mr.
Hanna should be nominated the thing
would possibly be different. We d.
not believe he could be beaten, but
with Roosevelt as the opposing candi
date we have splendid chancet to win
so good that new life is getting into
the old party.