Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-01-21
Undermining Roosevelt.

A curious feature of the campaign
which is quietly being carried on by
the Wall street moguls and their po-
litical allies against President Roose-
welt is the apparent disposition to con-
cede that the President will be noinl-
mated to succeed himself with practi-
cally no opposition in the Chicago
This suggests that there
is really no foundation for the reports
of Senator Hanna's candidacy. 1t also
affords ground for the suspicion that
the design is to attack Mr.. Roosevelt
not within his own party, which, in
the main, is undoubtedly loyal to him,
proud of his administration and de-
sirous of continuing him in Office, but
through the agency of the Democratic
party. There is a remark able air OF
hopefulness about the Democracy this
year. Whence does it arise? Are the
conditions more favorable than usual
to the election of Democratic Presi-
dent? Have the affairs of the nation
been mismanaged? Is the country
stirred to the very heart by any great
issue which divides the people, as the
tariff, and later the money issue, for
merly did, Not bit of it. Never
was there less opportunity for the
Democrats to find new strength and
new recruits on the strength OF their
attitude on some vital public question.
The nation is peaceful and prosper
GUS The minority party is left actu-
ally without a single live issue on
which to make campaign. Yet, in
spite of this, we find the Democratic
leaders sanguine of success and max
ing preparations for the campaign
with an excess of energy which be-
tokens. beyond the shadow of a doubt,
that their confidence is based upon
material assurances of some kind.
What are these assurances? What
is it that warns the impoverished
blood of Democracy and makes the
Democratic nomination for President
a prize worth striving for? Putting
two and two together, is it not ra-
tional surmise that the anti-Roosevelt
element which is afraid to show its
hand in the Republican convention,
has no scruples against working
through Democratic agencies, and that
there is a gigantic scheme on foot to
finance the Democratic campaign on
large scale and otherwise to bring
reinforcements to the Democratic
ticket which will give it, perhaps,
more than a fighting chance? If this
is what is in the wind it devolves
upon the loyal Republican leaders to
'smoke out" the enemy and lay bare
and counteractlhis designs as soon as
possible.
That an anti Roosevelt movement,
independent of the action of the po-
litical parties, is on foot is certain,
and it is also tain that this move
ment has its origin in the vengeful
disposition of moneyed elements which
the President has offended by under
taking to compel them to live up to
the letter of the law. In a word, Mr..
Roosevelt is TO be punished for the
offense of rendering honest service to
the people. But will the people allow
this to be accomplished? Impossible.
Let it be proved that conspiracy of
the kind indicated is under way and
it is safe to say that all genuinely pa
triotic citizens, Democrats and Repub-
licans alike, will feel in duty bound to
stamp it out and see that justice is
done to one of the truest and manifest
men that ever occupied the presiden-
tial office,-Leader.