The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-07
A TEST OF. REpUBLIcANIsy

While President Roosevelt asks nothing specifc
at the hands Of Congress in the way of corrective
legislation against the abuses Of the trusts he docs
nevertheless by his general remarks and recon-
mendatfons define doctrine which most men will
approve as far as it goes and out of which, if his
party in Congress wills, may be developed some
tangible public benefits. Should the spirit and gen
eral purport of bis message upon this theme find
expression in legislation, measure of relief will
have been granted against the corporate mischiefs
to interstate commerce.
Rational public opinion will generally inlorse the
utterances Of Mr.. Roosevelt to the effect that the
great corporations should be managed with due re-
gard to the interest Of the public as whole, and
that where this cannot be done under present laws
or where they fall short supplementary laws ought
to be enacted, and the country as whole will not
be disposed to captousness II Mr.. Rooseyets party
in Congress will accept responsibility the work
Of carrying out his proposals. Such course would
be deviation and new Inclusion for. the Repub-
Ican party, and a large optimism Il required for
faith in the outcome In view OF the past long course
of noninterference. The nation will not be unpre-
pared for disappointment over 4 cold reception
given to these proposals which regard the trusts
from wholly new and comparatively radical Re
publican viewpoint, but the public will hope for
the best
Viewed politically. Mr.. Rooseyelts recommends
and to mark the beginning Of a new Republicanism
or radcaiism-they offer a. strong test to the old
hands-of conservatism and thsse elements which
largely dominated the party organization and throve
by lealty to privileged property interests How Ell
during is that conservatism and how solid those
machine forces in the face Of public opinion gen
orally and of a new influence and trend within the
party itself is one Of the great political questions
which will be answered in America during the
next four years and probably within the life Of the
present Congress. President Roosevelt has not put
the spirit and strength Of the old Organization to
the supreme test by asking for ia reconsideration
of the tariff problem That teststma come with
the question Of an extra Session. z But to urge
prompt relief against frankly acknowledged trust
ills is direct change Of front well calculated to try
the cohesion of constituent parts.
Already, since the election Of Mr. Roosevelt,
there has been much talk of the reorganization" of
the Republican party, and the trust recommends
tons Of the President viii give it color. Should
the division, which reorganization presumes, come,
it will be possible to trace its beginnings to the
Presidents abrupt facing against the powerful in
stituions Of monopoly which have been SO intimate
and vital part Of the party organization and
influential upon its course for the eight years past
Mr. Roosevelt has not evinced militant iconoclasm
by any means, or even a rough-h handed aggression,
but he distinctly defines a cleft between the old
and the new in party policy, and very decidedly en-
courages whatever latent tendencies there may be
toward radical changes. Should he follow his trust
recommendations by a request for tariff revision
and a call for special session-which is not un
likely. considering the publlcs insistence-the po-
Itical philosopher may reasonably proclaim crisis
in Republican affairs
Meanwhile the public is concerned with hoping
for the best in the way Of results from the Pres
dents suggestions toward reniedying the old and
long considered trust abuses. Hoping against hope
it may be, since the relief must come from the
party which enjoys the friendship, favor and CO
operation Of the mooopolies; but we do no less
than hope,