New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-06
DEMOCRATS PUT TO R0UT.
GROSVENOR OPENS FIRE.
The Republican Var Horse Cheered
as He Defends Roosevelt.
rFRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU

Washington. April 0.-RepresentatlVe eros
venor, of Ohio. the veteran champion and
prophet of the Republican party in the House.
to-day delivered so effective broadside against
the Democracy that its oratorical batteries were
completely siIenced and it's defenders forced to
beat a suen and inglorious retreat. His char
acterization Of the President an able, cour-
ageous and patriotic gentlemen in both public
and private life elected a spontaneous and pro-
longed outburst of applause from the Repub-
lcan side Of the chamber. which was repeated
again and again General Grosyenor eulo-
gized the acts Of commission and omission of the
President and confidently predicted his tri-
umphant election next fall
General Grosvenor challenged the country to
show wherein Theodore Roosevelt IS not the
right man to be nominated by the Republicans.
Point out, first, something that he has done,
and. second. something he has not done. to war
rant in the remotest degree his retirement at
this time" said General Grosvenor, who con-
tinued in part:
The first thing that the President did that de-
serves the heaTtiest commentator was his duty
at the time Of the coal strike. know that some
Of you gentlemen. from the standpoint of phil
osophy and strict legal knowledge, condemn him,
and you say that there was no lew for It He did
not think there was any, either. But VIII tell
you what there was. There was condition In
this country on October !, 1902, which was more
critical and more dangerous to the life OF this
country and the uphOlding and perpetuity OF Its
free institutions than at any other period since
the time Of AppomatOx. The President had the
courage, the ability and the genius TO eAtricate
this country from that danger and piloted II to
n position Of safety and peace and prosperity.
He knew what ne wanted to DO he knew how
to do ii, and he went forward ana did II, and
next November 2jO.OoO coal miners IN the United
States will pay the debt that they owe to him
for having done what re did in the hour of their
extremity.
DEMOCRATIC INACTIoN IN TRUST FIGHT.
was a member of Congress when the sher-
man Antitrust law passed, and say now,
and I challenge contradiction. that there cannot
be found in the records OF Congress, nor In any
Democratic newspaper, nor in any Presidents
message, nor in any resolution of any Demo-
cratic convention, word of praise or word OF
approval for the sherman Antitrust law. And
] say further that the Attorney General under
Grover Cleveland. Mr. Olney, thoroughly imbued
the time with the popular notion Of the Dem
ocrats Of the country. said that the law was in
effective and impossible of execution and wholly
worthless.
Now. what has happened? 1t was left to
Theodore Roosevelt to enforce that law. Mr..
Wade, Of Iowa. said to-day that there were
thousands of trusts in the country yet. That Is
very true. but the trees are blazed, the pathway
is made plain the trail is tagged, and because
the Attorney General saw fit TO say that he was
not going to run amuck there at once arose the
Democratic cry on this floor condemning that
gentleman because ne did not say he was going
TO amuck. because he did not say that he
was going TO attack all the business interests OF
the country. 1t Is enough for Theodore Roose-
Welt TO say that he had law. condemned by the
Democratic party and cast out 10y II as WOr m
less. and has made it the most effective weapon,
the most splendid engine for the suppression OF
unlawful and injurious trusts possible to be put
upon the statute books Of the country.
JEALOUS IN POSTAL PROBING.
How does Theodore Roosevelt stand before
this country in the matter Of his execution OF
his duties President on the pOstoflce inVes-
tigation question? Has he been lacking? At
the very first intimation that there was any
such thing wrongdoing IN the POstoflice De
BaTtmeur he pat on iOOt an investigation tnAl
than sufficiently Jealous to hunt down
every vestige OF wrongdoing. / say that in the
months that are to come-the months that
TO follow the adjournment Of Congress and
are 10 be closed by the election I'm November
the American people will say that Roosevelt
has done all that 1t was possible for any man
TO do within the scope and purview OF his Office
limited by the constitution. Nobody has sus-
gested anything TO the contrary.
When Theodore Roosevelt came here as Pres
idont Of the United States he found pending the
great proposition OF reciprocity with CUBA. IL
not popular measure with many people
in his own party. Nor was II universally pop,
ular IN the House OF Representative. II would
have been easy thing for Theodore Roose-
welt 10 have dropped that subject-and retired
behind the Republican platform as he might
have construed it-retired behind the utterances
Of Republicans he might have construed
them md gotten rid Of a great and vexatious
responsibility. But Theodore Roosevelt under
stood what YOU understood, my Democratic
friends and what understood-that there was
embodied I'm the NEGOTIATIONS between the dead
President and his Cabinet and the living au-
liberties Of cuba an implied agreement that
sonnet hing Of this character SnONlu DC OOllt
And unpopular rs it might be-great as the
da ger TO the harmony n tho Republican party
might be-Thecdore Roosevelt put conscience.
judgment and patriotism against the danger OF
party inharmony, and led the column that
went forward to the redemption OF the great
nrouoise that to-day IS OF the shining stars
in the crown Of our national rejoicing.
THE PANAMA CANAL RECORD.
Again the question Of the Panama Canal was
ngItatiny the people Of this country and it was
n complicated question: problem difficult OF
solution. The great mass Of the people became
vexed and disturbed because of the apparent
irnpossibility of solving the problem 1t came
10 Roosevelt. The time had arrived when all
the world looked ut Panama and said, What
about the Panama CanaI?" Aud then Il was
that Theodore Roosevelt rose IN his own power
as an Individual and as President Of the United
States and solved that problem In such a man
ner that all the world booked on with acmira-
ton and nobody in the United states to-day
n ises q sane voice against the conduct Of our
government in that instance. We have got the
canal zone; going 70 build the canal; and
when the first vessel goes through II, carrying
the American flag from one ocean TO the other.
IL should fly, addition to the Stars and Stripes
of the American Republic and the engle. our coat
OF arms. banner commendatory and comment
orative Of the genius, courage, xiii and patriot
ism OF Theodore Roosevelt.
General Grosvenor then proceeded to FIRE
few hot shots at the Democratic leader Of the
Senate Referring to Mr. Germans criticism
of the course pursued by the President in the
acquisition Of the canal. he said:
know one who last November was a glow
ing, hopeful, brilliant, splendid candidate for
the Democratic nomination for President. He
got that idea but where IS ne nOw7 Repudiated
by his own party in the Senate; condemned by
his own party throughout the country; and to-
dav the Democratic party In no State conven-
ton. i'm no Congress convention, in national
convention. dare condemn the action Of the