The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-07-27
Wherefore.

By Col. Henry watterson in the
ouisyille Courier-J Journal.
After wandering eight years through
"a very morass OF Socialism and Popu-
lisun-fed on half-truths and misled BY
false lights-the Democrats Of the
United States once again come into
the open and upon the highways OF
life and thought. sss
Is was full time that they should do
this. Whilst, under impossible leader
ship, they have been, like children,
playing preposterous politics, the Re-
pa5licans. amply supplied with corr
Eupsion funds and using the most
modern and approved machinery,
have been constructing forslhcatlons
aboFe, laying trains below, the sur
facs OF affairs. Already these are
deemed by the sappeGs and mines I'M
loregnable. That they are so will
riepend upon the single question
whether the people have been so lulled
10 sleep-we shall not say debauched-
as 80 let the result go by default. OF
60 leave it TO chance, popular ipdi1er-
enca lending itself to the uses of an
Intelligent and PROSPEROUS oligarchy.
In the campaign before US one gl-
gantic issue occupies the middle of
sshs stage-A bsolutism-whilst one
other issue, scarcely less gigantic,
Eugnishes the ley to thistle Tariff.
Every schedule of that Tariff is a
riae-pis in front Of the fortress Of CEN
Sralized power. EVerv Tariff classifca-
lion is redoubt which must be car
ried TO reach that fortress. Outside,
al seems fair TO the eye; the smiling
EsId, the fertile plain, the busy
mart; within. see the engineers at
work. toiliag skillfnlly to fashion
Usapons for the defense Of the fortress,
20 forge msnacles for the hands Of
shose That dare assail it. From its
watch tower floats a flag bearing a
sdouble inscription, one for the multi
Sude, the other for the self-elecs; one
for the masses who hew the wood and
draw the water, the other for the
classes who get the tribute; and the
cutter Of these inscription reads " God
and Morality, the inner You tickle
me andI' tickle YOU
Tins was it ever with the few who
set themselves to rob the man?.
II.
Let us run hurriedly over the record
and discover If we can how the ac-
count stands.
The Republican party has become
IN the person Of Theodore Roosevelt
Sssle assertion Of the Gospel Of Force !;
IN the politicians constituting the
group that does his will in the two
houses of Congress the prostitution of
the power of the Government. Even
as william Randolph Hearst started
oat 90 buy the nomination at St.
Louis, Is Theodore Roosevelt started
o1t to bpy the election next NoVem-
her. Disguised as q rough rider, he
Stands the incarnation of the CONNER
cialism of the time. That be makes
an attractive figure merely augments
his dangerous character and increases
his capacity for evil. Lucifer is pic
tEred by most writer's as gentleman,
by many as most polished and agre-
able gentleman, by some-thougbh
they we're doubtless Rep0blicans-as
an archangel. All agree that he was
ambition personiGed Those who want
aim for President will have the
chance to vote for him, but, before
they do this, they should bethink
1hemssyes just what they are going to
get.
There IS the story Of Pope of Rome
who, in. the Consistory, appeared SO
shaken by disease and age, that, un-
able to agree upon any one of the
aFoWed candidates, and seeking an IN
tsrregnum. the assembled Cardinals
elevated him to the vacant throne, but
gflo. no sooner chosen, than he threw
gNay his crutches. seized the scepter
and for many wears ruled with an iron
hand. Even as this prelate of the Mid
die Ages played it upon the ecclesias-
tics Of the Vaticen has Iheodce Roose-
welt played upon tie High Priests
OF the Republican party. Yet. what
he las done to them will be as moth
ing to what lie will do to them, if, hay-
ing gone so far, his foot only IN the
stirrup, be finds himself firmly in the
saddle :~baving stamped around so
masterfullg in McKinley's shoes, he
is fitted with a pair of boots Of his
own; in short, having borne down
all before him as q cbance-shot 10 the
White House. be obtains the vlndi-
cation aud authority OF an election on
his individual account, nos merely
with all that this would rjinairly i'm
ply, but with what it will imply in
the case OF such man and such condi-
sions rs the next decade must needs
encounter in the United State aud over
the world at large.
Theodore Roosevelt is, decidedly, a
gentleman born: scion of the ruling
class on the patenal side, Dutch. on
the maternal Cavalier; a kind Of cross
betwixt ram-rod and q rufied-shlrt
the Roosevelt all blood and iron,
the Bullocks mostly frill and velvets.
He inherited social distinction from
both sides, a small, but sufficient
competency from his father. He
earned an honora hle name at Harvard.
He came out of college to seek career
IN literature and public life, bis
method being equally simple anc
a7,dacios1a. in literature to work