The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-08-19

brought against previous Presidents seems to have been brought against Roosevelt. What is his chief fault? It Is temperamentai, say his critics. He IS 1mperialistie, ambitious. warlike, reckless, darng, adventurous, arrogant, pVerbearing and impulsive. In word, he is not sufficiently grave and rever- ent."
 Upon what are these charges based2 First, on the fact that there is no more concrete or specific accusation to bring against him. Second. on the fact that in the war with Spain he resigned a good position in order to raise regi- ment os cavalry and take it to the front. He did take it to the front and into the fight, and it acquitted itself creditably. Like every colonel, he was proud of his regiment. and he did not hesitate to say so. Because Of this epi- sode in his life. which, if he were not d President running for reelection, would be deemed in every way honora- ble, brave, enterprising and patriotic, he has been accused of an insane desire Ito involve this country in war.
 Another reason assigned as evidence of Roosevelt's warlike disposition is his famous remark about the big stick. The references now being made to this remark would indicate that in it's orig inal form 1t ran thus: Take a big Fstick and shake it under the eyes of Iyour neighbor and is he bats an eye, beat his brains out" The aphorism was: Speak softly and carry a big stick. You will go far" Which is cer- Itainly good advice. Shakespeare has Polonius warn his son:
 Of entrance to quarrel; but being in Beard that the opposed may beware of
 thee.
 What should Roosevelt nave said? Speak loudly and carry little stick, " or Speak softly and catry no stick at an?" Speak softly and carry big lstick'' is good advice, which, if followed, would keep us out of, rather than lead Jus into, trouble.
 Now, as a matter of fact, since he has been President has he showed any dis lposition to fight? No. He could have got into war with England and Germa-s .lny over the Venezuela matter if he wanted to fight. That would have been a fight of the first order. Or he could have got us into a fight with I ,s and alone over the Canadian bosI.dary. lquestion. He coulc have got into d. flight with Russia about the open door. If. however. he had wanted victory, glory and territory at low price he lcould have picked a fight with any one lof the South American republics at Iany time he wanted to.
 l If Roosevelt be judged by what he lhas himself said there is nothing wherefor to accuse him of wishing to. lget this country into war. If, however, The be judged on what his opponents, have said about him. there were every treason to suppose that he had already lrushed us into one or two wars. and was running for the office on the tefse lplatform of more blood
 So much for the charges against his Administration. What, positively, has jlhe accomplishede
 He has handed over to Cuba the gov- iernnent of the Cuban republic. ] He settled the anthracite coal strike, (which for half a year had demoraiized lthe industries of the country.
 When Great Britain, Germany and It. laly were attacking Venezuela he in duced them to desist, thus preserving lthe invioIability of the Monroe doctrine.
 The commissioners appointed by him Ito discuss the Alaskan boundary qties- ton gained complete victory for tile American contention.
 The Cuban reciprocity treaty, which had been defeated by one congress, was sIpassed in subsequent special session, because Roosevelt Insisted.
 By the creation ofsa bureau of conlr rnerce and labor. for which his infiu- ence is solely responsible, the President illas taken the first definite steps toward the solution of the trust problem.
 Light will be let in on the management of the trust Then, when their evils are definitely, not vaguely, ascertained a lproper corrective can be applied.
 The door to China's trade has been
 kept wide open to our trade. ] But the most enduring benefit the l, President has brought to the country has been the assurance that the Pana- , ma canal would be finished. In the