The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-08
SENATORS FEAR :
PRESIDENTS PACE
Elder Statesmen, Unable to Keep
Up, May Try to Block
Roosevelt Plans.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Chicago, Dec. S.-Walter Wellman,
in a Washington special to the Record
Herald, says:
some of the oldfashioned republican
leaders. They find it difficult to keep
up with the rapid pace which the siren
uous young man in the White House is
setting for them. 1t is not easy for
them to realize that the tremendous
popularity Of the president among the
people is due largely to this way of
energy of his nature.
In other words, the country began
new epoch when it made Theodore
Roosevelt the head Of the state, and
good many of the older leaders are out
of touch and sympathy with the Roose-
party are much more in accord with the
president. But the old men hold the
I ems Of power in both branches Of con-
gress, and one of the most interesting
questions Of the day is whether or not
Mr.. Roosevelt is to have fine row
with the veteran leaders before he gets
thru his term. ~~-, .-.- : .'.-...--. ,.s...
esr-z Would Apply Brakes.
! Already they are trying to put on the
brakes. The president wants tariff re-
fornl-the genuine thing--and> the
leaders are comforting as to how little
they can give him and get off without
a rumpus and an appeal to the people.
He wants new legislation to stop indi-
rect determinations on railroads, and
the lawyers of the senate are sagely
pointing out that the thing can't be
done. He wants the rate-making power
put into the hands Of the interstate
commerce commission and the railway
/ attorneys of the upper branch declare
| 10 into
conflict with the supreme court. AND
SO it goes.
, ct had supposed this was good time
to sit down and rest and enjoy little
prosperity and repose, but here come:
our president stirring up al manner 4e,,t o.
. enough to last him and us the remainder
of our days. There is such a thing Al
, too much strenuosity.'
1 So said one Of the oldest and ables
of the republican senator's. And simila
: expressions are often heard these day
1 from the lips of the elder statesmen
In fact, this sort Of talk is the featur
= of cloakroom and corridor gossip IN tn
h big white capitol which stands on Al
7 eminence at the eastern end Of the ave
g nue-the "Capitoline hill,' as our fore
fathers named it.
Such talk does not mean that there
organized opposition to Mr.. Roosevelt
a policies. It only indicates the attitud
r. of mind out Of which opposition ma
s. easily spring if the president drive
" too fast.
d Elder statesmen's Idea.
d, The idea of the elder statesmen al
e, pears to be that the president s mind
Re altogether too active and ingenious, an
n that he should slow down. They thin
3. he is very good essayist, but that it
IN not necessary to write pieces abol
. everything under the sun, from infa1
T. damnation to the philosophy Of natio,
~ al disarmament, in message to CO.
" gress. go.
~ ~ It is not a secret that the leaders
A. congress have made up their minds tn;
~ ~ it is useless for them to try to keep I
~ with such president as this. He is g
10 together too swift for them. They ha7
~ no intention of trying to act upon
la even consider one-tenth part of the su
N. gestions for the improvement of tt
til government and the universe which RI
so easily and prolifcally from the p
n of this literary president-literary ev
n if he does try experiments inste;
on of making them. .r a..
BIS At the same time the elder statesm
are not little worried as to what N
Roosevelt may do next. They know
has the people with him. They a
Or wondering how the country will take
'es if he concludes to hammer them a lit
Mt, for nonaction. The president is in
en- en- four years and doesn It want anoth
nc term, while all the representatives a.
co many of the senators must soon seek
81 election. * 49,.