The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-10
Wall Street and the President.
Some Sidelights Upon the Methods OF
the Opposition.


Dealing with the attacks upon the
President which have appeared in
various papers within the past few
weeks, a correspondent of the ''Phila-
delphia Press" makes the uneompro-
missing statement that this opposition
is due to Wall Street influence. In a
dispatch to his paper he says:
president Roosevelt has declined
to make terms of peace with the trust
and railway corporation leaders of
New York. They approached the
President with an offer to withdraw
their opposition TO him if he would
give them certain assurances as to his
future course. The President de
chned point blank"
The correspondent then goes on to
say that since this interview, which
he says took place three or four weeks
ago, the leaders in question have made
strong but unsuccessful efforts to IN
duce Senator Hanna to lead an oppo-
sition to Roosevelt. and have also sent
out letters and given instructions 10
men whom they can hope to influence
in the West and elsewhere, calculated
to spread the impression that the
President Is not safe man, and that
his actions are likely to be rash, i'll
considered, and detrimental to the
business interests of the country.
There Is, of course, little in this dis
patch which has not been known by
shrewd observers who keep track of
Politics and are acquainted with the
character of Mr.. Roosevelt; but the
'Press" correspondent has supplied
details and dates. It now remains to
be seen how far the vague distrust
which the trusts are endeavoring to
create among cautious people viii out
weigh the country's knowledge Of Mr..
Roosevelt and his record, and its faith
IN his integrity, courage, and good
judgment.
1t has been evident to astute Re
pubheans, Of course, for long time,
that criticisms have been hurled at
President Roosevelt for doing what
Mr.. Mckinley did almost uncriticised.
Cases IN point are the number of APP
pointments of negroes to offices in the
South, which, while really less numer-
GUS than in Mr.. McKinley's Admins
tration, have been made TO appear
more so; and the agitation over the
promotion Of General Wood, which
was begun by Mr.. Mckinley when he
made Wood brigadier general, over
the heads of seventy-seven eolcnels.
Mn. Roosevelt is simply eneounterng
the criticism sure to assail any man of
pronounced personality, with definite
characteristics which are easily under
stood, and a determination to do what
seems to him right instead of being
bossed by people who desire him to do
what will be profitable to them. Every
man who has had a share in managing
town affairs can recall similar IN
stances of prejudice and misrepresen-
tation. The detractors IN question
have not yet attempted to prove that
Mr.. Roosevelt brought on the Span
ish-AmericaD war, but had that war
taken place in this Administration IN
stead of in that Of Mr.. Mckinley.
even under tie tremendous pressure
of popular sentiment which forced It
upon the Administration, what would
they not have said about the dangers
Of having a President dominated by
The military ideal!
The colo truth is that not the bust
ness men of the country, but the IN
serupulous SPECTATORS, have good rea-
son to fear President Roosevelt. He
viii take no money out of the pockets
Of honest men content with legitimate
profits, but he will be a dangerous
man TO have around if any money
making scheme Of unlawful character,
big enough to attract the attention of
the Attorney General, should happen
to be on foot. The defeat Of such
schemes, however, will not injure the
interests Of the great mass of business
men. It viii protect them. The
country has no reason TO fear that the
pr )secution Of rascals will reduce the
incomes Of honest men.
Harhart CDaprav