Smyrna times., 1904-10-05
A RESOURCEFUL LEADER.
Country to BE Congratulated on the
Presidents Letter.

Country to Be Congratulated on the
Presidents Letter.
The New Haven Register, usually |
Democratic, has this to say of Presi- |
dent Roosevelt's letter of acceptance: |
One way to estimate the fighting |
strength of an army, which is what |
political party is. is to study its lead |
er. A bold and resOurceful leader can
perform wonders with his men, wheth-
er they represent or not the normal
fighting condition in numbers and or
PanizatiOn. Theodore Roosevelt is a
bold and resOurceful leader, and he
never appeared more so since he en-
tered public life than in this letter of
acceptance. For his political enemies
to deny the fact or to withhold full
realization of its value as a campaign
document will be to weaken their own
lines of offense and defense. Though
not a pupil of Senator Platt in the
Sunday school where Governor Odell
learned his political p's and qs, and
though but a reluctant supporter of
James G. Blaine, Mr.. Roosevelt has
Outplayed all of them as a practical
politician. He has learned, if he ever
doubted it, that to be a leader one
must be self confident before he is sure
of his soldiers. In this respect there is
no letter of acceptance to compare his
with. He steps to the firing line and
with a popular bluntness of speech
passes in review before him all of the
acts of his administration which have
been criticised and salutes each one
as sound in conception, wise in execu-
ton and beneficial in achievement
His is the attitude of the famous old
beau who advised younger swains to
'never explain nor apologize" 1t is
the attitude, moreover, of an astute
politician who understands human ma
ture, especially in its weaknesses, and
knows how to appeal to 1t. 1t is the
attitude of the politician militant whC
challenges his enemies to combat, anC
1t will for that reason inspire his part!
to larger endeavOr and set for the spell
binders a livelier pace than they hav,
themselves known how to take.
From our point of view the country
Is to be congratulated upon the receip
Of this letter. which, while sent t
Speaker Cannon, is addressed to it,
gives assurance of the debate whicI
must follow. Though the Democrat
are unfortunate in the errors whicl
they have made during recent years
which Mr.. Roosevelt takes full an,
clever advantage of, there is still
wide difference in their attitude tC
ward policies Of government to b
hereafter enforced. Mr. Roosevelt dC
clares that as he has done he will col
tlnue to do. 1t is now the duty of Nj
Parker, speaking for his supporters, t
state as clearly and boldly as NJ
Roosevelt has done what he propose
to do if given the opportunity. In Il
other way can the vote of the electO
ate be cast intelligently. As the Har
ford Courant aptly puts it: mo ma
who votes for the next president of Il
United States can truly say that he
prepared for that responsible duty III
til he had read this letter This is n,
to say that after reading the letter |
will necessarily vote for Theodo
Roosevelt. He may not But, at al
rate, if he does so vote against The
dore Roosevelt after the perusal of til
letter he will do so with his eyes ope
and that is a state of mind on the pa
OF the millions of voters of this cou
try that is emnently to be desired"