Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-12-10
RoosEvEuT's OPPONENTS.

We allude to opposition within his
own party, Tor Of course the Democrats
seek to checkmate him whenever they
can-that's politics.
A number of influences operate
against Roosevelt. First are the trust
and financial magnates. They don't
like him because, so far from being
friendly toward them and inclined to
overlook their transgressions he gives
them to understand clearly that they
must keep within their rights just as
scrupulously as the humblest citizens.
Convinced that certain combinations
of capital are illegal in their scope and
tendencies, the president is striving
vigorously through the courts to re-
press them. The Morgans, the Hills.
the Rockefellers and others of that
class understand that no tool of theirs
is in the White House. They would
prefer someone more conservative, y
someone that possesses more (of their
confidence, at the helm. So we
hear more or less about Roosevelts
being unsafe, playing to the gal
leries," etc.
The presidents part in settling the
coal strike, in which he went out of
his way to compel-practically-the op-
orators TO consent to arbitration in the
interest of the great confusing public
especially embittered these powerful
eapitallstic influences. They love him
not.
Then there are the professional poll
ticians who have never liked Roose-
welt since his first entry into public
life. They do not find him "pliable, "
or open to those suave arguments that
count tor so much in their particular
art. The pervasive pull does not
90 with Roosevelt as it ought, in their
opinion. The mere fact of partisan
ship is not the open sesame now that
it was once. So the capital stock Of
these professionals is "beared" by the
chief executives attitude. A different
kind of a president is wanted by them,
therefore,
Besides these people are many actu-
ated by more creditable motives. Some
of them honestly believe that Mr..
Roosevelt is rather too aggressive, too
bellicose, lacking in calm judgment
and apt to act rashly. This criti-
cism has always been leyeled at Roose-
welt, and may be in part deserved. No
man is perfect in all things, and if the
president errs at all il is more likely to
be in this direction. However, moth
inc indicates that he is forgetful of his
great esponsibility. II he IS at times
impulsive, it can be overlooked, even
commended, if he is right. A presi-
dent who bestirs himself to the better
ment of conditions is thousand times
safer than one of lofty ideals who let's
things DRIFT rather than NEEDLE with
them. Even mistaken zeal may some |
times be overlooked when only errors
of judgment can be attributed. For
all his acts the president has always
been able to give good, and usually
convincing, reasons. Pugnacity is not
browning fault.
The Soath abhors Roosevelt for his /
treatment of the race question. Even
Republicans of that section are so car
ried away by negro-hatred that they
allow all the presidents admitted ex-
cellencies to be outweighed with them
by the fact that he has received and
entertained colored men at the White
House, and has boldly proclaimed that
in the matter of federal appointments
merit. and not the color of the skin.
controls him. This country is not
ready yet to accept the Southern view
OF the negro, and it generally supports
the president on this issue.
Only one possible competitor of Mr..
Roosevelt is seriously suggested for
the Republican presidential nomina-
ton next year-the Hon. Marcus A.
Hanna of Ohio.
Mr. Hanna is undoubtedly strong
man. He has developed rapidly in
public life. and next to the president
is undoubtedly the foremost Republic
can Of the day. As a political man.
ager he has never known defeat.
Slandered and abused like no other
public man, he has added victory to
victory in a way that must cause even
his tradueers to admit that no common
man receives their shafts and turns
them to weapons of his own. He holds
the great state of Ohio in the hollow
of his hand, and each trial OF strength
there adds to his prestige. II Hanna
were to enter the lists and seek to OBJ
tain the nomination he would be no
mean ANTAGONIST Sunrorfad nv tha