The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-12-16
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER
FRIDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1904.
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THE PACE TOO STRENUOUS

President Roosevelt is too swift for
some of the old fashioned Republican
leaders, says Walter Wellman in the
Chicago Record-Herald. They lind 1T
difficult to keep up with the rapid
pace which the strenuous young man
In the White House is setting for
them. 1t is not easy for them to
realize that the tremendous popular
ity of the President among the peo-
pie is due largely to this way Of go
Ing ahead to do things with all the
energy Of his nature. In other words,
the country began a new epoch when
1t made Theodore Roosevelt the head
OF the state and a good many Of the
elder leaders are out of touch and
eympathy with the R~ooseveltian era.
The younger men of the party are
much more in accord with the presi.
dent. But the old men hold the
Heins OF power in both branches of
congress. and one Of the most inter-
esting questions Of the day is wheth-
or or not Mr.. Roosevelt is to have a
itne low with the veteran leaders be-
fore be gets through his term.
Already they arc trying to put on
the breaks. The president wants
tariff reform-the genuine thing
and the leaders are comforting as to
how little they a give him and get
off without a rumpus and an appeal
to the people. He wants new legis-
lation to stop indirect discrimina-
lions on railroads and the lawyers Of
the senate are sagely pointing out
that the thing can't be done. He
wants ratemaking power put in the
hands of the interstate commerce
commission aid the railway attor-
neys of the upper branch declare it is
impossible without getting into con-
dict with the supreme court. And
so it goes.
~ had supposed this was a good
time 10 sit down and rest and enjoy
a little prosperity and repose, but
here comes our president stirring up
all manner Of new things and pro-
vidlng trouble enough to last him
and us the remainder of our days.
There is such a thing as too much
strenuosity." So said one Of the
Oldest and ablest of the Republican
senators. And similar expressions are
often heard these days from the lips
Of the elder statesmen. In fact, this
sort Of talk is the feature of the
cloak room and corrider gossip in the
big white capitol which stands en- an
eminence at the eastern end OF the
avenue-the "Capitolene Hill,'' as
u %forefathers named it. Such talk
does not mean that there is organ
lied opposition to MIR. Roosevelt's
policies. 1t only indicates the atti-
tude Of mind out of which opposition
may easily spring if the president
drives too fast.
The idea Of the elder statesmen
appears to be that the Presidents
mind is altogether too active and
ingenious and that he should SLOW
down. They think he is a very good
essayist, but that it is not necessary
to write pieces about everything un-
der the sun, from infant damnation
to the philosophy Of national disarm-
ament, in a message to congress. 1t
is not a secret that the leaders in
congress have made up their minds
that it is useless for them to try and
keep up with such a president as
this. He is altogether too swift for
them. They have no intention Of
trying to act up nor yer consider
one-tenth part OF the suggestions for
the Improvement of the government
and the universe which roll so easily
and prolifically from the pen Of this
literary president-literary e if
he does "tryn experiments instead of
making them.
At the same time the elder states
are not a little worried as to
what Mr., Roosevelt may do next.
They know he has the people with
him. They are wondering how the
country will take it If he concludes
to hammer them a little for monaco
Licn. The presiden. is in for four
FEARS and doens't want another term,
while all the representatives and
many Of the senators must soon seek
reelection.