Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-09-22
UNSAFE! UNSAFE!
democratic Charge Against Pres.
'oent Roosevelt That Is
! Without Foundation.
THREE YEARS IN WHITE HOUSE
u ~' NO Time Has Anything Been
lone That Did Not Tend Toward
Peace with All the World.


Aneooore Roosevelt are analysed, and
"nen Democratic agitator is asked
W uehne his opposition to the presi-
oenI the inevitable reply is that
Roosevelt is an unsafe man" -.
Now, is he?
What makes an unsafe man2 Whom
Is man safe and when is he danger
ousE How are we to judge man
Dy what ne has done or by what some
one says he may do? Are we justified
In calling a man unsafe who. has all
MS life been eminently safe? Is not a
man entitled to the reputation he
makes for himself? ....-...
For three years Theodore Roosevelt
mas had absolute power, as president
OF the United States. and yet during
tnat three years, although called to the
great office suddenly, as the result of a
horrible murder, he has never lost his
head. He has never done a dangerous
thing, he has at no time involved the
country in difficulties, either at home
or abroad.
False Predictions,
Immediately following the murder
of William Mckinley predictions were
freely made in the Democratic press
that President Roosevelt would involve
the country in war. Has he done so?
1t was also freely predicted that he
would break with the Republican ma
Jority In the house and the senate, and
that he would insist on having his own
way, disregarding the advice of the
tme-honored leaders of the party. Has
he done SO?
Does not every one know, on the
contrary, that the conditions of peace
between the United States and the rest
of the world were never more secure
ly anchored than today? This has not
been because the president has not had
an opportunity to go to war. There
have been half dozen such opportuni-
ties at the very least since he became
president, when, if he had been the I'M
safe man he was alleged to be, he
might easily have involved us in war
with one or more of the great powers
of Europe. He has met every diplo-
matte emergency with rough and ready
diplomacy and extraordinary tact,
which have won for the United States
the respect of the civilized world.
Record in Diplomacy.
Look over the record of the state de-
partment under Theodore Roosevelt for
the last three years, and see how
much has been accomplished to uphold
the dignity and the honor of the Unit
ed States, without at any time caus-
ing the slightest apprehension Of for
eign war. 1t was during the present
administration that special commits
sion was appointed to adjust the dis
puted boundary between Alaska and
the Dominion of Canada. Some Of
the Canadian people and papers talked
rather savagely. There was every OPP
portunity for a mis-step on the part
of the United States. A little too much
buster, little too pronounced brag,
failure in tact at the proper moment,
a substitution of timidity for bravery,
or of rashness for conservatism by
Theodore Roosevelt would have famed
the feeling in Canada into a dangerous
flame. The Alaska boundary was an
Inheritance from the Mckinley admin
istration, but it was safely settled I'M
der Roosevelt, settled to the credit of
the United States, settled without the
loss of an inch of American territory,
and settled, too, without the destruc-
ton of the friendly feeling between
Great Britain and the United States.
When Germany and England were
at the threats of the little republic Of
Venezuela, an unsafe president might
easily have involved us in war with
those two countries, and timid presi-
dent might easily have brought upon
the flag the shame of the rest of the
world. Russia and Japan have been
at war. The sentiment of the people
In this country has been largely in
favor of Japan. Yet John Hay, the
wise and discreet secretary of state,
appointed by Mckinley and unhesitat-
ingly retained by Roosevelt, has so
successfully directed the course of
American diplomacy that the United
States today is as much the friend of
Russia as it Is OF the little fighting
cock, Japan. The United States, in
fact, has dictated the diplomatic con-
duct of hostilities between Russia and
Japan. This country has dominated
the situation, and yet at no time has
there been the slightest danger that
we might become embroiled with any
foreign nation.
Safe Every Day In the Year.
These are the actual results Of three
years Of the foreign policy of Theo-
dore Roosevelt, the man who, when he
entered the White House as the result
OF murderous bullet, was by his po-
Iitical adversaries pictured to the 9TH
er nations of the world as a braggart
and swashbuckler. He has been safe,
always safe, every day and every hour,
since he has been president of the
United States. He has never lowered
che American flag to anybody, he has
never been forced to apologize and
he has conducted every episode Of our
foreign policy, with the advice of
John Hay, in such way as to pre-
serve the honor of the American re-
public, and to gain the respect of the
sovereigns Of the world There is not