Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-12-17
THURSDAY. DECEMBER II, 1903.
WALL STREET AGAINST ROOSEVELT

WALL STREET AGAINST ROOSEVELT.
For some months it has been manifest
that Wall Street and the trusts we're deter
mined to defeat President Roosevelt for
nomination in 1904, if possible, and fail
ing in that to make a strong effort to de-
feat him at the election. The first move
ment in that direction was begun imme-
diately after the President commenced his
assaults upon the Northern Securities Conn
pany as an unlawful combination. The
Wall Street magnates and the trusts were
responsible for the renewed agitation of
the negro question, we'll knowing that
nothing would be better calculated to ar
ray hostility at the South against Mr.
Roosevelt and make this section solid
against him in the event of his being the
nominee of the Republican party. The
scheme for exciting sentiment at the South
was entirely successful, and the Southern
Democratic journals and leaders, either
consciously or unconsciously, have been
paying into the hands of Wall Street and
the trusts. No effort has been spared to
make the people of this section hostile to
the President by continued bitter assaults
and misrepresentation.
While this has been going on at the
South, in the Northern and Western States
the Presidents popularity with the masses
has been steadily growing, because of the
fact that the trusts we're so strongly
against him. This growing popularity of
the President alarmed the trust and rail-
way corporation leaders of New York, AMI
they made proposition to withdraw their
opposition to him if he would give certain
assurances as to bis future course toward
TIE trusts. Mr.. Roosevelt with character
istic honesty and courage declined to en-
ter into any agreement. 1t is understood
that these profers of peace came from
Rockefeller, Gould, Morgan, Hartman,
Hill and others. Tie conspirators tried to
explain their movement as one to secure
pledge that be would do nothing to de-
stroy business confdeDce-that is, that he
would do nothing in the way of prosecut-
ing trusts or unlawful combinations.
When approach ed by a representative
OF the interests of Wall Street, the Presi.
dent informed him that wherever he saw
a fragrant violation of the law, such as had
been found in the Northern Securities af-
fair, he intended to see that it WAS prose-
cuted. "And finally" said the President,
"as to pledges not to upset the business
prosperity of the country, if any such
pledges are necessary as condition to my
reelection, am not fit to be reelected at |
all. decline to give any pledges"
As soon as this honest, manly refusal
was made by the President to accede to
the demands Of the Wall Street influence,
orders were sent out in all directions to
"H t Roosevelt"
The anti Roosevelt syndicate is now do
ing everything it can to unsettle the busl-
ness interests of the country, that it may
weaken the President and contribute to
bis defeat, if that can be accomplished.
Letters are being sent out by thousands
saying that Roosevelt is not safe man. If
be had yielded to their demands they
would haye been sending out very diff.
ferent report: Will the leyel-headed, hon.
Est men of the country We influenced by
his dishonest method of the trusts?
The Southern Democrats have been
oasing their opposition to the Republican
party largely upon the theory that it was
controlled by the trusts and Wall Street.
Now that the Republican President is be.
NC opposed by those influences, is it con-
Iistent for the South to unite with Wall
Street and the trusts to defeat the honest,
brave man who dares to defy them and do
lis duty?