The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-08
WA|1ERS|)N ON
PRES. ROOSEVELT
kentuckian Talks on the
Indianola Affair.
NORTHERNERS NOT THERE
Don't Understand Situation
Affairs Political Aspect.

New York, Feb. Colonel Watterson
Was found yesterday by an American
reporter taking a siesta in his apart
ments at the Waldorf-Astoria, surrounded
By books and papers. which were sprink-
led over the room as if dropped by a
thunder shower
He was asked to give his views on the
President and the negro for the "Ameri-
can and he did SO. prefacing his OBJ
servations, however, with the announce
ment that 1T was almost impossible to
make northerners really understand the
question
THE Presidents mistake he said lis
In raising up hopes among the great
body of black people which can never be
realized, and concurrent with this is
arousing among the whites a correspond
ing irritation. Mr.. Roosevelt did not dis
tinsuish between questions of abstra ct
justice and questions OF ineradicabIe ra-
cial antipathy. This racial antipathy is
even greater at the north than at the
south.
The average northerner viii not accept
the negro as a concrete proposition at
any price: yet the President not only
purposes to thrust him upon an unwilling
southern community as an ofTice-holder
but he signifies him for a social recogni-
ton wholly misleading"
Colonel Watterson grew more serious as
he extended his talk into the range of
prophecy
Already" he continued, I'VE see the
fIl-QfYacfg nf h.
meetings as that held in Washington the
other evening. where the most violent
expressions were given out. If such
meetings should become common. they
would PROVOKE retaliatory meetings, on
the part of the whites. Thus we should
have the foundation laid for a race war,
big or little. as the case might be. the
1ar-reaching evils of which it would be
easy to conceive
II don't believe the President realizes
the bad influence of his course upon the
vast horde Of ignorant negroes, by nature
emotional easy excited. He is a young
man, and has not come TO his wisdom
This strenuous life," added the Ken
tuckian, lis well enough in a young man
seeking his fortune but an i'll thing in a
should keep behind the guns and not in
front of them.
1t Is not necessarily impeach the
President to make it plain that his activ-
fly in every direction is menace to that
spirit of public order, that sense of re-
pose, which should preside over the
White House.
Mr.. Roosevelt has a fatal gift of ex-
preston. He is dangerously versatile.
In him a very good editor seems to have
been spoiled in the making of at least
most equivocal president.
do you think Mr.. Roosevelt will sue
coed in capturing the Republican nominal
ton of 19o4?' inquired the interviewer.
II have no doubt of it. ! very much
doubt that he viii have any competitor in
the convention. He seems to have in mind
the peculiar circumstances to which Pres
ident Arthur owed his defeat in 1854,
and to have steered clear of those partic-
ular rocks and breakers"
What chance will he stand after he
gets nominated"
Well. if the Democrats have any sense
or wit left in them Roosevelt's~ day Of
sorrow will come on election day"
The editor slammed his hand down on
his chair with an emphasis which was
more than words in its effect. He is not
one who would enjoy a Roosevelt vic
tory.
What will the Democrats do for a
nouninee?" he proceeded. in reply to n
question. They must find a man who
has not been mixed up in factional fight
ing. some man of credit and character
who Is not handicapped by too much
record. And then they must somehow
get on to a campaign fund. Money is
1ust as essential in party battles as pow
der and ball in real battles The last
eight years the Democrats have been us
ing bows and arrows against Krag-Jor-
gensen rifles.
What do you think about Mr.. Cleve-
land in the next Convention
'.Er Cleveland Is obviously suspending
HE lightning rod well to the windward.
He is a man who never does something
for nothing. When he puts himself in
evidence we may be sure that he has an
objective point before him. and he has
ben greatly in evidence of late.
His appearance as one of the mourn
ers at the funeral Of the late Mr.. Hewitt
is very suggestive. if not very impressive
Mr.. Hewitt certainly despised air. Cleve-
land. and Mr.. Cleveland could not have
been ignorant of that fact. But the OPP
portunity to pose as the apostle of civic
virtue was too good not TO be improved
BY the Ex-President.
IN like manner his appearance IN
public with David 8. Hill and his subse-
cuent dailying with Tammany Hail are
significant OF his peculiar methods. Like
the Kentucky hunter. he has set his coon
trap to 'ketch 'em a comm an gwine.
He plainly intends to let Tammany hold
while the mugwunps skin the next Demo-
cratic convention"
VIII he land it,
NO IL by some miracle his nominal
ton could be brought about. the party
would split wide open then and there. and
Mr.. Bryan might be expected TO lead
boiling ticket. polling the greater part
OF the vote of the west and south"
BATTERY IS COMPLETED