Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-12-11
ROOSEVELT SCORED BY WATTERSON PEN
Kentucky Editor CausticalIy CritiCizes the
Panama and Wood Incidents.


Henry Watterson goes after President Roose-
velt rough-shod in an editorial printed in the
Louisville Courier Journal, under the caption,
"Iet Her Go, Gallagher" in which he says
"The long and the short of the canal busi-
ness is, the administration, having taken the
bit in its mouth, has also the whip in its hand,
and means to buck it through, willy nilly, and
that those of us who want both to get the canal
aud be honest can either stand aside and let
her go, Gallagher, or make common cause with
the transcontnenta railway ring in opposition,
and in the event of beating the treaty, lose the
canal.
"Thus, literally, we find ourselves betwixt
hell and the iron works. 1t is case of be-
damned if we do and be-damned if we DON'T
the moral accountabilties, however, upon the
broncho-Luster who can be relied upon to keep
the ten commandments lighted in the vestibule
of the White House whilst rihing Colombia
across the way in the back Office of the state
department. In the case of such dilemma,
what is poor girl to do?
"She might take to the woods, but sooner or
ldtCI, Sic WOulu uHVC W SOulC Oul iOl uASdt ouu
drink. The most virtuousS Sdamsel must live.
"In the olden times, when converts were
provided for the distressed and the devout, vir-
tue was able to seek her refuge within moated
grange and gabled wall, but who shall rescue
her from this terrible Teddy, who, with
honeyed words and pious phrases, casts con-
science to the winds, and would debauch the.
of /; he
loved order of the Holy Zebra?
"Already we have the splendid government
so much dreaded by the father of his country.
Already we are world power abie to do as we
please. Shall we set letters in absolutism, dis
regarding justice, reason and right even as
absolutism has come down to us from the
tyranny of ages, or shall we recur to the simple
preachments of patriotic gentlemen in knee
breeches and powdered wigs, who sighed the
Declaration of independence and framed the
Constitution?
"This is a serious question. If we have not
actually come to the parting of the ways, we
are perlously near the point of divergency
Nor alone this Panama business.
''The Wood case, with its favoritism, taking
cues rather from the customs OF the courts OF
Europe than from any precedents of American
democracy; the postal scandals manipulated to
protect the party and throw dust in the eyes of
the voters with the usual blare OF the Roosevelt
trumpet, the league with Quay, Addcks and
Platt, professional corruptionists whose sole
purpose and efficacy spring from their success
in the use of money and chicane in elections,
the power of Doodle, the power of patronage,
all charged to cheat the people, yet seasoned
by excerpts from Holy Writ-these things ad-
monish thoughtful men and women that the
government of the people, by the people and
for the people, is slowly slipping out of the
hands of the people and into the hands of few
able, unscrupulous and determined party man.
agers who, though they dread and despise the
President, are forced by the exigencies of their
bandit policy to take him for their leader, or, in
default of him, to risk their game"
Partisan legislatures and partisan judges are
the r,oct ,,owerfnl OF nec of 0nnreSciou in orr