Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-06-22
90
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT A sue
CESSFUL POLITICIAN.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT A suc-
cEssFUL POLITICIAN.
In the current number of Leslie's
Weekly Arthur w. Dunn contributes
an interesting article on President
Roosevelt as politician, in which he
is shown to be the most successful
president in that line that has ever
occupied the White House, using the
term politician in the broader sense.
William Mckinley was often said to
have been the best politician of the
presidents, but looking back over the
career of Mr.. Roosevelt, it must be
acknowledged that he has been on
the popular side of questions more fire.
quently than Mckinley; and further,
that he has been able to hold his party
better than Mckinley. Roosevelt was
an advocate of the Spanish war, and
it was popular with the people. His
connection with that war made him
Governor of New York in spite Of the
strong political machine in his party
which opposed his selection.
Mckinley was opposed to the Span
ish war, but could not hold his party.
Enough republicans in both senate
and house were ready to join with the
democrats and declare war, regardless
OF the president, when the admins
tration gave a reluctant consent. Nc
Kinley promised Cuba reciprocity, but
his party was not united for carrying
out that pledge, and when Roosevelt
attempted to carry out the Mckinley
promise he found the republican con-
gress, which had been elected with
Mckinley, recalcitrant. There were
enough republicans in both senate and
house to prevent the Cuban reciproci-
ty bill from passing. Subsequently
another congress Roosevelt con-
gress-was elected. and the Cuban
treaty went through with more than a
two-thirds vote in the samate; and
when the bill was passed there was not
a dissenting republican in the senate,
and only few in the house. Roose-
welt, the politician, wrought the
change.
If it is an evidence of deep political
sagacity for man to keep himself at
the apex Of his party despite the
design of powerful influences to over
throw him, then Theodore Roosevelt
is entitled to the credit of such
sagacity. Everybody knows-that is,
everybody who has been in touch with
the republican politicians and the in
f1uences that have made presidents
in the past-that there has been an
element in the party that did not want
Roosevelt nominated for president.
Its leaders tried for months to induce
Hanna to be candidate, but that
willy old campaigner knowing some
thing Of the man he was expected to
defeat, declined to enter the lists
Other men were sounded, and an ef-
fort was made to ascertain if another
man could be found who would meet
the requirements-a man who could
take the convention away from Roose-
velt-but such man could not be
found. Certain men in the party were
anxious to have a convention of I'M
instructed delegates, who might be
induced to nominate another candi-
date at the last monument, but Roose-
Welt, the politician, was not to be
caught mapping by any such move.
Realizing that his strength was with
the people, he has had the people in
struct their delegates so there could
be no mistake when the convention
assembled. And during the prelimin-
airy stages leading up to the conven.
ton, Roosevelt secured the voluntary
pledges OF loyalty and support from
! the men who were seeking another
candidate only a few months before.
i II such management does not show
political sagacity, 1t is hard to say
where It could be found.
Roosevelt stands out as the most
4 unique type OF politician that the
\ country has produced. He has gone
d forward getting what he wanted, doing
many times what the leading polite.
fans Of his party lid not want, and yet
being personally successful: and
further ne ~ been capabIe q carry.