The Saint Paul globe., 1904-11-22
BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS

President Roosevelt has rendered an
appointment on the isthmian canal
commission to Francis NJ. Cockrell,
Democratic senator from Missouri.
The place was one much sought after,
carrying as it does salary of $4,000
a year and liberal allowances for ex-
penses, and the appointment was not
offered to Senator Cockrell by the ad-
vice or consent of those gentlemen Who
hold themselves entitled to considera-
tion when the loaves and fishes are to
be distributed. The action of the pres
ident may be taken as indicating his
intention to take every advantage OF
the situation brought about by his elec-
ton by such an immense majority as
to point a personal rather than a party
victory.
While Senator Cockrell has been re-
garded as very high type of Demo-.
crat, he has been by no means a strict
party man in his attitude on ques-
tions before the senate. He voted with
the Republicans on the confirmation OF
Wood-in which the president was per-
sonally interested; he acted with the
majority on the Cuban reciprocity bill
and the Paris treaty Of peace. He has
never hesitated to step over the bounds
set by his party when he saw fit, even
going so far as to defy the caucus. But
in the larger matters of party principle
he has been sound and a Democrat
worthy of all honor.
OF his fitness for the place there can
be no question. He is man of broad
culture and wide information. Beyond
and above this his unimpeachable In
tegrity especially fits him for a posi-
ton on this commission, which must be
very carefully administered If it Is to
guard the treasury from the raids that
adventurers will make upon 1t In the
carrying a out OF the canal scheme.
CockrelPs equipment is therefore un-
deniable. But it is certain that the
president could have found in the Re-
publican party men with qualifications
equal to those of Cockren and stronger
claims on the head of that party.
Mr. Roosevelt has not done this thing
because he is impetuous. We no longer
credit to impetuosity that acuteness in
prompt action which characterizes the
chief executive. It may be assumed
that this appointment rendered to
Missouri Democrat is the manifesta-
ton of a disposition on the part of the
president to ignore party lines in the
building up OF an administration that
shall be wholly his own. The spirit is
the right one, but we viii watch its
working out with some interest. 1t
may be politics or it may be the high
est type of craftsmanship that MIR.
Roosevelt promises. in this appoint
ment, to treat us to. A perseverance in
the course he has entered upon will
result in a most wretched failure or
the most tremendous personal triumph
ever attained by a chief magistrate of
the United States.
OF course there is always the possi-
bility that the president is simply
practicing politics, that he has his
weather eye on the prospects OF the
Republican party in Missouri The ap-
pointment Of Senator Cockren might
be excellent practice for a political
prophet who foresaw the advent OF the
Hon. Joseph w. Folk, of Missouri, as a
candidate for the presidency. Mr..
Roosevelt has correctly forecasted
much more unlikely political events.
Those Missouri farmers who think