The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-11-07
HAS NEITHER Incl ina TI0l
NOR The ABIEI assemble

- ,H9JO,E'IhLylIu DG = :
/ before him 70 some before CAREFUL
consld and we1l-settled principle
lSof action, and decide upon his course
by applying that principle to the
! circumstances before him. The for
mer two methods are relatively slow.
Uniess one Is very familiar with past
preeedents, he must take time to
i;atudy them, if they are to be his
guide; nor Is it possible without
much Pondering to form any valua.-
| Bile judgment as to the probable ultf-
mate consequences of any dubious
course OF action. But ordinarily i.
takes little time to apply to any
given circumstance principle Of ac-
ton already well defined and clear1!y
established in the mind. In deter-
mining what principles of action
shall guide him, Mr.. Roosevelt con
siders, often carefully, both the ira
dldons of the past and the probable
results Of a proposed and ha5tus,l
course of conduct. But when the
particular exigency arises in whi.h
he is to act. he nefthe- asks wha! Lr;l-
dition prescribes nor what RESULTS
viii follow he applies The principle
already determined Oh and acts as it
directs. Thus, he settled very early
in his political career that he would
be Republican, ana that he would
maintain his independence in his par
ty, not by going out of it. This in
:, ~.
was invested with appointing power
namely, that he would consult with
the recognized leaders of his party
simply because they were it's recog-
nized leaders, but would never APP
point to Office a man whom they rec
commended il he had good reason to
doubt the candidates character and
competency. These two principles
led him to consult with both Mr.. Plat
and Mr.. Odell when he was governor
of New York, and with Mr.. Burton
of Kansas, and Mr.. Quay, of Penn
sylvania, when he became President.
SO soothing at him as having abjured
his principles because he consulted
With these party leaders had any es
feet upon him: and as little was he
effected by the threatened oppos.-
ton of these party leaders when he
refused to be guided by their advice
because he thought their nominees
unworthy Of his acceptance. l thinis
this principle of political action II
sound; that in a country governed by
with representatives of his party,
whether he would have chosen them
TO represent the party or not. But,
whether sound or. not, his character
cannot be understood except as the
student of current history under
stands that this has been and is one
of the guiding principles Of Mr..
Roosevelt's political action.
This combined celebrity of mental
action, disregard OF traditions and Of
temporary consequences, and adher-
a dramatic illustration in the Pan.
anna case. In this case the end to
be sought was a Panama canal; the
duties to be fulfilled were the prescr
walton OF the railroad and the keep
ing of the peace Mr.. Roosevelt fore
saw that the consequences of allors'
| ing Colombian soldiers to land on
the isthmus would be fighting in Pan
anna, a cons quent necessity of land
| ing United States soldiers to guar:
| the railroad. a probable embroilmen
| with Colombia. possible entanglc
ment with France. The quickest,
shortest, and most economical meth
Cd of securing the desired end-the
| construction of Panama canal and
Of fulfilling our duty, the preservation
of peace-was to prohibit the landin: Z
! of Colombian soldiers in the vicinit V
| of the canal. Mr.. Roosevelt issued
| this order preserved the peace, say
ed the lives of Colombians, Pan
amans. and Americans, and, his crit
| les say. violated international law
and American traditions. The ablesI
authorities on international law are
| divided in opinion on that question
Personally, believe that he did not
violate International law, and that he
is sustained by the spirit OF Ameri-
| can traditions. But l am also of
opinion that, whether he acted in ac.
cordance with traditions, national or
international, did not greatly concern
-,