Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-09-02

Few kind words to say of any man
who ever occupied high place in
tins country; that on the contrary
ne has lambasted the life out of
most of them. Take, for instance.
ms opinion of Thomas jefferson.
expressed in his Naval War of
1872. In volume XI.. page 1873.
of that work from the pen of The
odore Roosevelt, he was intemper-
ate enough to say that Mr.. JefEer-
son was perhaps the most incapa-
BILE Executive that ever filled the
Presidential chair That seems
to be pretty tough on the author
OF the Declaration of independence.
the man who acquired the Louisi-
ana territory, who was twice Pres
ldent Of the United States. both
times elected by ballots and not by
bullets. who was the founder of
the University of Virginia. and
whose teachers have ever been the
bulwark of popular government
IN this country as against the rule
of the classes. Mr.. Roosevelt
seems not only to be an iconoclaSt,
but of late years he seems to have
become painfully pragamatic
preacher. He defends and pro-
claims the aXimatic at the slightest
provocation. He Is showing re-
prchcnslblc tendency to lecture the
public on sclf-evident propositions,
and To do 1t with a suspicion of
sensational purpose, aS. notably.in
his warning against race-Suicide
and his recent sermon ON decent
living. The people of this coun-
try, if | am any Judge of everyday
human nature, do not like to he
lcctured. They think they know
what they want and how to get it
when they want it. That is one of
the reasons why Grover Cleveland
lost popularity while in the White
House. If Mr.. Roosevelt will con
tinue in his present course he will
very aptly illustrate the point of
Tom" Reeds sarcastic SAYING:
What | like about Roosevelt is
his enthusiasm over his own dis
covery of the Ten Command
mentS.
There is some rather severe crit
iciSm of the President here in po-
litical circles i'm the national capt.
tai on account of the recent naval
review. That review ordered 10y
the President To be held practically
in his back yard in Oyster Bay.
partook very much of the auto
cratic methods of the Car or the
Kaiser. No previous President
ever ordered the ships of the
American Navy 80 come TO his
home i'm order To review them and
make n war-like speech To the Off
GERS and men of the Navy. That
review, for which there was no
need or warrant, except To make a
hOodlum holiday for the inhahi-
tants of Oyster Bay and vicinity,
cost the taxpayers OF the country
not less than fifty thousand dollars
for powder burned in saIutes to
the Commander-in-Chief of the
American Navy. He may next
take a notion that he wants to re-
view the American Army. If he
does 1t will cost the people not less
than half million dollars to con-
centrate the troops for the review.
The people need not he SURPRISED
at anything.
The Post Office Department in
YeStigation seems To have petered
out completely, If anything is
doing at the big pile on Pennsylva-
MIA Avenue no man can find 1t out.
Since the statute of limitations let
out so many who ought to loo wear
ing stripes, il seems Ia have para
lived the energies of the inveStiga-
tors. Although the Grand Jury
i'm Brooklyn indicted George W.
Beavers for completely in the frauds
and populations in the Post Office
Department, no attempt has ever
been made to apprehend him az
bring him to the har of justice. 1t
is believed here that the reason for
this apathy on the part Of the gov
eminent officials Is that Beavers is
another one at those Temple pull
lers. and the powers that be are
not hunting for that kind of game.
1t is safe wager that the last has
been heard of sensational develop
ments in the Post Office inveStiga-
ton. 1t looks as though the Inter
Tor Department would now become
the confer of activity i'm the scala