The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-03-25
A GREAT PRESIDENT
The Cincinnati Enquirer's
Tribute to Roosevelt.


he careers of great men, as well as
he transactions of everyday life in
Folving the success and fortunes of
has always entered the
question, whether man originates
and controls events
or whether all that happens in
the universe is under inhexible |
law and beyond his influence
and he himself a mere waif carried
by an irresistible tide to an inevita-
BILE destiny. Whichever view one
may take of the general question,
and whether he be regarded as the
child of dest:nv or the artificer
of his own fortunes, Mr.. Roosevelt
seems today, whatever predicament
his party may find itself in, to have
the logic of events and the luck of
the situation on the side of his per-
sonaI fortunes. 1t cannot be said of
him, as of Sisera of old, that the stars
in their courses have fought against
him. Can any other President or
any other ruler be thought of who
within the limited time that he has
held his place has brought forward
and carried through as many impor-
tant measures as he has, all of which
seemed to have gained popular ap-
proval and added to his strength?
First came the Coal Commission
scheme, bold departure from all
precedent, vehemeaitiy opposed by
powerful interests within his own
party, but carried through to unqual-
lied success, and despite many mis-
givings and criticisms, accepted by
the country as practical solution OF
difficult and dangerous situation, and
credited wholly to him.
Then, in the face of the almost
Unanimous remonstrances and oppo.
sition of the entire financial world
calculating most shrewdly the extent
and bitterness of the anti-combint
lsentiment, and the great obstacle il
might be to his reelection unless
skillfully handled, he set on TO
1.-THE litigation, pushing it on with un
Iprecedented celebrity, which has jus
resulted in the merger decision o
the Supreme Court, which puts ever.
combine that has been made at tn
: mercy of the Government. II will b
: perfectly useless to attempt to max
| an issue against him on the combin
. Iquestion. So far as the political caI
) lital goes he has squeezed that lemo
ldry, and the nominating convention
] may as well take notice of the fac
A less important matter, but on
: which showed the same initiative
the same lighting pluck while tn
= measure was under way, the sam
t correct estimate of the chances o
t success, and the same success in th
e lend, was Cuban reciprocity. Witt
n out Executive backing, or with on
t a lukewarm advocacy, it must ha,
failed. The country as whole can
t to his vew that it's honor was pledge
a and at a time when Republican o.
position was practically unanimol
l. to any legislation or treaty in al
way affecting the tariff. Congress,
obedience to its will and to Execute
pressure, enacted the Cuban bill.
5. Then we come to the Panama Ca
d al. Did he drift with the tide,
e did he take advantage of events Al
is seize an opportunity that would ha
d never come again to make real Z
dream of a hundred years and to p
Iu incoDcrete form the long baffi
~ Inspirations of his countryme
w Whichever it was, fortune drove
chariot. The hour for the canal h
L. struck, and to him it fell to ma
Of the work possible and to begin
" Was it he, was il his judgment,
to foresight, his courage that acco
10 lplished it or was it destiny:
Last of all, we have the postoffi
IN Investigation. Shortly before I
in nominating conventions we're to me
i'll lcame rumors of peculations a
II scandals, which the head of the
ke lpartment laughed at, and which
ng the ordinary course of political m:
lagement and manipulation wol
o. have been disregarded and 81
pg pressed. Mr.. Roosevelt insisted IL
a all wrongdoing should be dragged
w. the light and punished, and to inst
he thorough work put Democratic Il
ed yers in charge of the prosecute
with instructions to go to the bottc
les Whatever suspicion there may
II that there are rascalities still
te covered no charge can be made I'll
,t- the President tried to shield any o
or has failed to do his utmost to C
rect abuses. This fact, coupled W
the additional one that some of
worst culprits were Democratic
" pointments, appear to eliminate
postoffice scandals from availa
y ampaign issues. At least they C;
" not be urged against the Preside
Out of the nettle danger he has
himself, if not for his party, plucl
N the flower safety, and we have,
stated at the outset, an unpre
let dented record of the successful I
he mination of enterprises which W
II at their inception doubtful and I
nd bidding aspects. Again we ask, b
IN has it come about?
m Is it the result, as his friends ella
he of political sagacity, statesmanst
re rare foresight and courage. and {
m exercise of a strong will and {
ed legitimate power of his position,
is ii all due to circumstances ant
he part of the development of the