New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20
As 10 RASHNESS

President Roosevelt's rashness has come 20
be sort OF proverb. 1t is one of those pOpu-
lar attributions which persist quite independent
Of any basis Of fact The President on any
particular occasion may be rash or he may not.
1t makes no difference Before he entered the
White House his restless energy had attracted
attention, and q large number of people as
sumed a matter of course that everything
he did would be impetuous AS well try to
convince them that Charles the Bold not
invariably bold that Theodore Roosevelt was
not always rash. So when anything happens
in the conduct of the government every critic
of the policy adopted shouts that it is another
piece Of the Presidents rashness, though it
may be the essence of conservatism If the
President happens in a conspicuous case merely
TO do his duty OF enforcing the laws by sub
jecting the legality Of a railroad merger to
the judgment of the Supreme Court he makes
a rash attack upon property. If he recOg-
nizes promptly the establishment of a new
government in Panama, again he is rash, and
is sure 10 involve us in complications with Eu-
rope. even though European governments ap-
prove his course and promptly follow his lead
IL he redeems a campaign promise to welcome
in Washington a campaign chairman TO whom
Mr.. Hanna had sent him, 1t is monstrous in
discretion, because the man is a trades union
Hanna entertains the same man at the Wal
dOrf-AStoria it is a wise and Statesmanlike eff
fort to guide the labor party into conservative
paths.
When the administration Of this rash" man
is calmly reviewed it is not easy to find evil
dence Of that rashness. He has, indeed
done many things that have aroused oppos-
ton, and any President who does anything
positive always will. But there is a great diff
ference between positiveness and rashness
His actions. though energetic and quick, have
turned out uncommonly well, and won the APP
prevail Of the American people In a fashion
which suggests that they were taken with
anything but rashness. If it is rash to enforce
law. whether it interferes with schemes of
milliOnaires or labor agitators, there is need of
rashness over the whole country. If it is rash
to use the influence Of the President to bring
together warning industrial interests whose
self-centred struggle menaces innocent thou
sands, then blessed are the peacemakers' was
said Of the rash. If il be rash TO guard Amer
lean interests with decision and keep the peace
at Panama, what a line of Presidents and Sec
retarles Of State have been rash. For nearly
three years now President Roosevelt has been
running his impetuous and devastating career
at the White House. yet we have a remark
ably prosperous country, a government never
more respected at home and abroad and a con-
servative, money making people strangely
| happy and free from alarms.
Yes, we know that" say the critics HE
has kept himself in check so far. He has TO
| be moderate till he gets a second term Then
! he Will break loose and it is not safe to trust
him Well, if Mr.. RooseveIt's dangerous
/ rashness which Will break out in his second
| term Is TO he deduced from his acts in the
| hrst 1t does not seem to be particularly terri
! bic thing after all. If it is merely a DISPOSE
/ ton attributed to him regardless of anv mani
festauon then the man mo can hold that dis
| position so thoroughly in check through three
trying years of inexperience must be pretty
| complete master Of his impulses and able to do
| equally well with ripper training. Then his only
/ care Will be to make highly creditable record
! as President II he now recognizes the wisdom
/ or moderation enough to exercise what is as
/ sumed to be unnatural self-controI. there is
| no reason 10 fear that such wisdom will sud-
denly desert him.
| Men are known by the company they keen
| When President finds his closest advisers and
! warmest supporters among men Of unuuestion-
| able conservatism and soIidity, his character
must be at bottom conservative and solid II is
known that in the whole Senate There arc no
five men whom the President more frequently
consults and whose counsel he more generally
takes imam senator Allison, Senator Aldrich
Senator Orville II. Plat, Senator Spooner and
Senator Foraker. If these men are dangerous
then the President is open to criticism for seek
Ing unsafe counsel. No other five men are
more heartily in favor of the Presidents re-
election as the best possible thing for the coun-
try and the party in the present situation If
he is rash, they ought to know IT, II he IS a
menace to international peace and domestic
prosperity. they are blameworthy for giving
him the aid OF their high regulations as cham
pions Of peace and prosperity