Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-07-11

party, which is its platform, for proof oil
the fact that Mr.. Root knew how to pay
a debt. The country has not We; forgot
ten when MIR, Roosevelt paid glowing
tribute to his cabinet, which wound up
with the sentiment. "and the greatest Of
these is Root" But let me read first
what the president did say of the junior
member of that mutual admiration so.
ciety. l find it in the American Review
OF Reviews, from the pen of Walter
Wellman: "Ordnarily, the president Of
the United States is not to be inter.
viewed. But there are exceptions to all
rules. When l asked President Roose.
welt for an expression of his opinion OF
the character and public services of Elihu
Root, who within few weeks is to retire
from the secretaryship of war, the
president replied: 4 am very glad to dc
that. In John Hay have great sec.
rotary of state. In Phlander G Knox
| have great Encouragement. In the
other cabinet positions have great men.
Elihu Root could take any of those
places and fill it as we'll as the man who
is now there. And, in addition, he is
what probably none OF those gentlemen
could be--a great secretary of war. Elihu
{ Root is the abest man haye known in
our governmental service. l will go fur
Their. He is the greatest man that has
appeared in the public life of any coun'
try, in any position, on either side Of
the ocean, in my time.'"
"This is praise, indeed" adds Well
man.
Well, what OF it? have never heard
that Secretary Root has denied this Off
cial impeachment. ''Praise, indeed"
YES. What praise in return could be
adequate in repayment? In this wonder
full mutual admiration society OF "me,
too, Teddy, and me, too. Elihu," is the
return rhapsody of Mr.. Roots peroration
at all extravagant, considered from the
standpoint OF repayment, OF course?
Is it any wonder that he was the man
selected by the candidate to clay it on
strong?" A man of ability, too, Mr..
Root. He had defended Tweed. Why
not defend the republican party in its
honr of non action, passivity, negation
and mere obstruction? Indeed, he and
the president have minds so much alike
that they have been suspected OF "un-
conscious identity of cerebration," OF
thinking the same thoughts in the same
words.
l have heard that in October, 1902,
Mr.. Root made political speech in
Cooper Union, in New York, in which
he used this language:
eff tariff law has on the whole
worked we'll, and if business has pros
pered under it and is prospecting, it is
better to endure some slight inconven-
fence and inequalities for time than to
incur the uncertainty and distur bance Of
business which necessarily result from
the process of making changes. The
mere fact that a different rate OF duty
would be better than the rate fixed in
the statute does not settle the question
whether the change should be made now
or should be deferred. Every tariff
deals with duties on a vast number o.
articles and involves vast number o.
interests, often conflicting, and when
ever the law is taken up in congress foi
consideration with reference to one
change, every schedule in that law il
going to find some one urging change
in that schedule, and all the business
interests of the country are going to be
left during long.continued discussion
in state of uncertainty as to what com
petition from abroad they will be obliged
to meet"
And I have heard that the presiden
on his political tour through the Yves
in the spring Of 1903 made speech il
which he used this language:
eff tariff law has on the Who'll,
worked we'll and if business has pros
pered under il and is prospecting now, i
may be better to endure some inconven
fences for time than by making
changes to risk causing a disturbance
and perhaps paralyze the interests anG
business If the country. The fact tina
the change in given rate ofjaduty ma.
be thought desirable does not settle thu
question whether it is advisable to make
the change Immediately. Every tariff
deals with duties on Thousands OF arti
cles arranged in hundreds Of paragraphs