The river press., 1904-10-05
SAFEST MAN in COUNTRY
Three Years in the White House and at
No Time Has Anything Been Done that
Did Not Tend Toward Peace
with All the World.
n

/ 'knnCNVoIf
is an unsafe man." .
Now, is he?
What makes an unsafe man? When
IS man safe and when is he danger
GUS! How are we to Judge man
by what lie has done or by what some
one says he may do? Are we justified
in calling a man unsafe who has all
his life been eminently safe? rs not
man entitled to the reputation he makes
for himself?
For three years Theodore Roosevelt
has had absolute power, as President Of
the United States. and vet during that
three years, although called to the great
office suddenly. as the result Of hor-
| rlble murder, he has never lost his head.
| lie has never done 4 dangerous thing,
he has at no time involved the country
III 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 50?
1t was also freely predicted that he
would break with the Republican, ma
Jorty in the House and the Senate. and
| that he would insist on having his own
| way, dlsregarding the advice of the
time-honored leaders Of the party Has
he done so?
Does not every one know, on the con
trary, that the conditions of peace be-
tween the United States and the rest
| OF the world We're never more securely
anchored than to-day? This has not
been because the President has not had
an opportunity to go to war. There
have been half a dozen such oppostuni-
ties at the very least since he became
President when, if he had been the un-
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 diplomatic emergency
with rough and ready diplomacy and ex-
tmordiMry tact. which have won for the
United States the respect Of the civil
! lied 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 dig
nifty and the honor Of the United States,
| without at any time causing the slight
est apprehension Of foreign war. 1t was
during the present administration that q
| SpcC!hl cOuINulSSlol N;tS HppOILeu 10 au"
| just the disputed boundary between Alas
ka and the Dominion of Canada. Some
OF the Canadian people and papers talked
rather savagely. There was every op-
portunity for a misstep on the part Of
the United States \ little too much
bluster, Il little too pronounced brag,
failure in tact at the proper moment
substitution of timdity for bravery, or
OF rasllness for conservatism by Theo-
dore Roosevelt would have fanned the
feeling i'll Canada into IL dangerous
flame The Alaska boundary was an
inheritance from the Mckinley admin
| istr,tion. but it was safely settled UNI
der Roosevelt. settled to the credit OF
| the United States. settled without the
| loss Of an inch or American territory,
| and settled. too, without the destruction
Of the friendly feeling between Great
Britain and the United States.
When Germany an,l England were at
the throats 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.
,Ihc sentiment Of the people in this
country has been largely in favor Of
Japan. Yet John Hay. the wise and dis
Greet Secretary of State appointed by
Mckinley and unhesitatnsly retained
by Roosevelt has successfully direct
ed the course Of American diplomacy
that the United States to-day is as much
the friend Of Russia as it is of the littls
ighting-cock Japan. The United States,
in fact. has dictated the diplomatic con
Il 4; l,nt,,
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 na-
ton.
Safe Every Day In the Year.
These are the actual results Of three
years of the foreign policy OF Theodore
Roosevelt. the man who, when he en-
tered the White House as the result Of a
murderous bullet. was by his political ad-
vcrsaries pictured to the other nations Of
the world as Il braggart and a swash-
bnckler. He has been safe. always safe,
every day and every hour. since he has
been President of the United States. He
has never lowered the American flag to
anybody. he has never been forced to
apologize and he has conducted every
episode Of our foreign policy, with ths
advice of John Hay. in such way as
to preserve the honor Of the American
Republic. and to gain the respect of the
sovereigns Of the world There is not L
king. nor an emperor. nor Il president.
nor Il putentate from Pekin to Iimbuctoo
who does not know to-day that Theo-
dore Roosevelt is OF the best American
type honest. frank. courageous, sensi-
bic. aud always safe for those who treat
him fairly.
Men Of thh Roosevelt type are unsafe
only to the, dishonest, to the disturbe~
Of the peace Of nations, to the grafters
at home and the srabbers, abroad. to the
manipulatorS ct markets and the wreck
crS Of nations To th, honest men, to
the people OF the home aud the tireside.
to the yoou king and to ths good subject.
the Roosevelt type is the safest thing u
all this Worl