The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-28

Washington, June N.-(Special. )--Presi' dent Roosevelt is credited with an earn est desire-it may indeed be a stern de- termination-to have a thorough cleaning cut of all corruption in the Postomce Department. Is he wholly blameless TOT the deplorable condition? great many people visit upon him the shameful no- toriety which has lately been divuiged He has not, in their judgment, taken noio of the rascality and choked 1t to oeatn with that boldness winch he has Vauntee in his narratives of b!s pfowess in war and in peace.
 It is recalled that he started away from Washington on his Western vote-culture tour just about the tune that huge black clouds of suspicion were lowering over the Postoff1ce Department. Postmaster General Payne had been amply apprised of the gravity of the charges against some of the highest and longest-trusted ofhcers of the department. The President could not but know that 1t was not mere par tisan calumny that assailed an important branch of his administration. Postmas- ter-General Payne, with masses of as- founding evidences of fraud accumulatipe before him, pooh-poohed and scoffed and sneered to companies of newspaper men daily. He appeared as though he were going to impress upon them how superb ly a great departments chief might en- dure and survive and triumph over hot air accusations.
 Although manifestly he did not dream that the caloric in the atmosphere was surcharged with too much terrible truth to be asphyxiated by the gas of his ill., dissembled indignation, he knew quite enough to warrant him in laying the whole matter, without reservation. before he went away to immerse himself in the wilds of Yellowstone Park.
 Judicius people men of common bus- ness prudence, respecting as they do the high office he holds, believes that Presi- dent Roosevelt should have been here at- tending to his duties, rendered more i'm perative than ever, instead of chasing himself around the distant woods like a school boy on vacation, much less a President burning with the itch of ambi- ton to succeed himself. school boy, responsible to nothing on Gods earth but shamed by conscience to a better show of duty. President Roosevelt's duty was here in Washington. of all places on the earth. After months of absence from the duty for which he receives $50,000 a year, with his administration in the tbroes of difficulties on account of the most dis graceful corruption, he is eager and ready to be off again for a summer jaunt.
 People do not regard this as an occa- sion for partisan exutation, but rather as time for national humiliation that for years and years trusted officers of the Government have been stealing the peo- ple's money, creating them ate very turn, bribing and giving bribes. protecting scoundrels with whom they have con- sorted to rob the Government. It is ask ed if this Is a proposition upon which President Roosevelt and his party mean to stand pat. There are some indeed who are so pessimistic as to say that there is no such thing as public conscience. that the people don't give a pewter damn whether there's any stealing going on or not from the community at large. There are others who look upon the President as an innocent boy prone to have his fun; they say the affair can be managed with out him. Let him go back to the woods If he wishes, to the woods with the birds and bears, where he can. If he fancies. ride a few horses to death, mount a broncho and bust over the rolling prai- ries and tear round the sport-invoking earth to his strenuous hearts delight. The world Is not his oyster Neither is it his task-shop. The world is his play ground. Don't bother him. Elect him for four years more while he is yet young enough to play!