The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-01

them down to n last sentence. 6D0
a word hat can be quoted against
Roosevelt or a word that can be used
to his disadvantage They are conn
monplace speeches. but they are safe
speeches There IL nothing OF he
Rough Rider in them, not a word Of
the firebrand who wants a He
preached civic honesty most Of the
time-surely a doctrine that will
make no enemies.
Before he left on his western our
Senator Platt. OF New York. said to
him. 81 hea you are going OF .
speechmaking tour for 66 days"
Yes" the president replied
Well" said Plat, you win break
your neck exactly Sc times"
That was the way the politicians
looked at 1t. They expected the presi-
den TO make many mistakes. to say
things he should have left unsaid and
not to say things he should ave
said He didn't He said nothing
hat anyone can remember now, thus
keeping himself safe.
BROUGHT HANNA TO TIME.
1t was on his western tour thai he
performed his most spectacular feat
in the way OF demanding allegiance.
He was near the Pacific coast just
before the Ohio republican state con-
vention. Hanna did not want to in
dorse Roosevelt. Foraker, the other
senator, and the enemy of Hanna, in
sisted. Roosevelt, at the exact
psychological moment, sent a teie-
gram to Hanna, saying n Ia every
body who vas for him was for him
n all others necessarily against
him, and he did not see why his
friends should not say so then as well
as next year. That put il up to
Hanna to fight or quit. He quit, and
the convention endorsed Roosevelt.
The presidents policy with con-
gress has been conciliatory. He has
played politics there, too. When he
demanded Cuban reciprocity in the
first instance and did o get it he
gave it out that had acted
wisely. He has submitted on many
matters where the statesmen on the
hill have been against him. He bow
ed with exceeding grace when the
senate refused to pass the Cuban
reciprocity bill at the extra session
just now ending. He has allowed
senator's and representatives to have
the say about appointments in a
great measure. He is the politician
there, too; not the ~rip-roaring die
tator congress thought he would be.
although he does not hesitate 60 die
tate when he thinks such assertive-
ness will not hurt him any. He
sometimes lectures and rep
resentatives, but only when he has
the majority of the others with him.
HAS THE CLAMPS ON HIMSELF.
The president considers his fight
won. His only care now is to keep
himself free from entanglements. He
has Sobered down to a great event.
He is not the rampaging Roosevelt
who came into the White house ex-
cited and declamatory over his luck.
He has said nothing and done moth
ing out of the ordinary since he went
back from Sycamore Hil in Septem-
Der. If he had it to do over again
there would be no review of battle
ships in his front yard. He will
make few speeches and no trips until
after the nominations. He will con-
duct himself in as subdued manner
as possible.
All this is not natural. The foolish.
brash things he did after he first be-
came president were natural Roose-
welt performances. He is playing
great politics now in keeping him
self in hand. There will be no more
ridfcule, if he can help it. He has
the clamps on. A gag has been ap-
piled to himself. 1t is a natural,
non-Rooseveltian condition, but he
is buckling down to it and holding
steady.
And when he is elected again.
Then, to use his own words to a
man who spoke of some of the radi-
cal acts Of the first few months of
his administration: II have not been
elected to this Office yet by the peo-
pie Just wait until 1 get a verdict
from the people and you will see
that what I have done is not half of
n I shall do. You will see some
things worth talking about"