Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1904-09-29
Effort TO Show that President
Roosevelt Is a Lover
of War.
INSTEAD, HE is FOR PEACE
Would Not Encourage or Bring About
War and Its Destructive Forces,
Except to Maintain the
Country's Honor.

|
resenting him as a lover of war, and
therefore dangerous to the peace Of
the country, is doomed to ignominiols
failure. The American people arc ac-
customed to size up" their public men
with an accuracy unknown in the ma
| tional life of other countries. They have
| had President Roosevelt under their
gaze for years, and they know him well.
| More than that. knowing him well as
they do, they admire, respect and love
/ him.
When public opinion had forced the
war with Spain upon the American
nation Theodore Roosevelt then assist
ant secretary of the navy, was ono Of
the officials of the United States who
was prepared for the inevitable Like
| every other keen observer, Mr.. Roosevelt
had seen from the incipiency of the
| agitation for American interference in
| Cuba that the nation must prepare for
| war. In his own office lie did all that
was within his power to get the navy
| ready for the part it must play. What
| the navy did is a part of the imperish-
| able history of our country. No one
| claims more than is due to Mr.. RooSc-
welt in this connection, but to ignore his
| services in the office of the secretary OF
the navy in the early days of 1898 would
be an act of ingratitude. These Serv-
ices have been recognized from the be-
ginning and will never be forgotten.
His War Career.
The war opened. The one high pub-
| lie official who resigned his Office at the
| National Capital to take up arms for
/ his country was Theodore Roosevelt.
He raised his volunteer regiment and
went with it to Santiago de Cuba. The
rest is history.
Colonel Roosevelt entered upon the
duties and hardships of war with all
| the enthusiasm of brave and generous
nature. He took good care of his men
and fought at their head when the time
| of battle came. After the war was
over he came home the idol of the Amer
lean people. We had known him rs a
sterling citizen. as a city official work
ing for the upholding of the laws. as Il
national official urging and enforcing the
merit system in the United States Civil
Service, as assistant secretary of the
navy preparing ships, ammunition and
men for the chances of war, and now he
had volunteered for the army had lei
his men in solderly fashion. had with
stood the baptism of battle and proved
| his right to be called hero of war in
| defense of his country's word and honor.
| That is all there is to the war story.
| Colonel Roosevelt was elected Gov
| ernor of New York. and in that position
| he again demonstrated to his country
men his common sense. his true democ-
| racy of feeling. his justice. honor and his
genius for affairs When he was urged
! for the Vice Presidency he demurred.
naturally enough, but. when the voice
| of the people became loud and insistcnt,
he obeyed.
Trusted rs President.
| When he came to the Presidency the
people withheld. but only for a moment
Of time, their full allegiance. From the
first President Roosevelt was trusted.
I Never once. by word or act since he sat
| in the presidential chair has President
| Roosevelt encouraged or fostered the
| most remote idea of war He has been
| interested in improving and strengthen
| ing our army and navy, and in all ways
| has shown himself to he loyal Amcri-
\ can to his country, but by no chance has
he shown any love of or desire for war.
because he has no leaning that way. lie
| loves his country-he loves mankind
by what twisting of statements and
| distortion of facts. by what destruction
VI truth anu letting 20 or all ueccncy,
| the opposition to President Roosevelt
| has raised the charge against him that
| he is likely to foster war no one who
is acquainted with the man and his life
can imagine The scriptural mystery of
the way of the serpent on the rock is
nothing to this puzzle Of the passing mo-
| ment
Every word and act of Theodore
| Roosevelt's life makes against the false
| views now set atiOat as To the posSibili-
ties of his character. The President is
1 man who loves his country as only
| that man can love it who has endured
| the storm of war for its sake. For no
| possible or imaginable cause, save alone
the honor of tho country itself and then
| hut at the stern bidding OF Congress.
! could or would President Roosevelt in
| woke the ruin and misery of war. 1t is
I SANDER upon n man of humane nature.
| strong and cultivated intellect and
| proved patriotism to- foster and circulate
| the idle vaporings of political enemies
to the effect that he is likely to bring
| about or encourage war. There is no
| foundation for the SANDER. 1t is shame
full that it should exist. or. once exist
ing, should be continued by repetition.
| Let us have an end to the silly clumsr-
inSs of the mendacious trickstcrs upon
| this bugaboo.