New-York tribune., 1904-10-26
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
Personality of President-What Sec
retdry Morton Says of IT.

Paul Morton. the new Secretary Of the Navy,
writes OF why Man Should Vote the Repub-
hcan Ticket This Year IN the current issue Of
The 4ndependent' In part he saysi
This year the Democrats announce they have
10 paramount issue as 10 abstract principles,
OUT with much energy It is proclaimed that the
paramount Issue Is to be a personal one. II IA
TO be the Republican nominee for the Presi-
4ency, the man who now occupies the White
House, Theodore Roosevelt
They tell you that Theodore Roosevelt is a
dangerous man. they tell you that Theodore
Roosevelt is impulstve; they tell you that he Is
= - an a foreign war; they tell you that Theodore
Roosevelt decides very important matters with
out mature oeIberation; that he is much too
quick on the trigger and that he goes OF half
cooked; they tell you that Theodore Roosevelt Is
not clgnihed; that he Is 6 rough rider, q cowboy
ana Dig game hunter, tennis player and all
are brusque; that he does not treat statesmen
ana others entitled to it with consideration and
dlstincuon-in fact, IL you have time to listez
while they talk. they VIII tell you most any
thing about Theodore Roosevelt, except they
never say he is dishonest: they never say
that he lacks intelligence, and they never say
that he is sfraid 70 do his duty, and they never
claim that anybody owns him
Why do they tell you he is dangerous? Ask
them the direct question and they viii answer
you that he has done nothing bad yet but some
day they are afraid he will and then they are
quite likely to follow it UP by telling you that
he is naturally too strenuous; that he beieves in
strife; that he likes war; that he prefers an
~N~--N--0-A
prosperity, end that he viii not always follow
the advice 0f Wall Street.
It IS my great pleasure 60 know Theodore
Roosevelt well, and I DO not overstate the facts
when say there Is not man in the United
States who is more anxious FOR honorable peace
or for greater general prosperity than he isi he
believes, however. that IN order to maintain
peace we should always be prepared for war;
he believes in a well trained army and navy,
and ne thinks that OR navy for its stze should
be as efficient as any in the world.
Why do they call him unsafe2 Because ne
mt IN q -0E- ant With
and because he insists that the laws of this
country shall be observed by the rich and the
big corporations in just the same way that they
must be observed by the poor man and the
smaller corporation He earnestly believes what
ne has so often said IN his public utterances-
that no man Is above the law and that no man
IS below the law. It makes no difference how
ever powerful and however rich man may be,
OF however humble and however poor man
may be, they must both be within the law and
both must observe It. and both are entitled 70
IFS protection Is this an unsafe position for the
President OF the United States to occupy7
Would it not be unsafe TO the very government
itself II he occupied any other position on this
TO me Theodore Roosevelt typthes the ideal
American citizen He Is fond OF outdoor life,
robust IN health and honor, a strong advocate OF
the purity OF the home, vigorous or mind, al
ways courageous, leading out straight away for
what he thinks is best IN private and public
affairs ne varies neither to the right nor 70 the
left The President was born and bred q gen.
tlenan. he is diguifed when II is proper for
him 10 be So and when he is at play, walking rid
which any other reasonable man will concede he
has right 70 enjoy II he wants TO. ne Is Ike any
other man. and he does II IN q way so natural
and unaffected that It commands the respect Of
everybody who knows him
He thinks every man should have fair show.
and have heard him say that the man who was
chucking coal into the freboZ OF & locomotive at
one end Of the train had just the same rights
and must receive the same considera ton in all
matters OF law the railroad u1agnate who
rides n hts private car az the other end OF the
train. This. Il seems 70 me, is the only kind
of doctrine that We want preached or practised
In this country
The President makes II clear that he recog-
nizes the right Of both capital and labor TO or
ganize and he opposes nothing but the evil IN
The organz zation OF either. There Is no doubt
IN nv mind that well directed corporate capital
is q blessing TO any country. and the countries
IN the world that are not progressing in
civilization the countries that do not possess
the benefits OF corporate capital.
have only been a member Of the present ad-
rninistratfon a short time, but have found just
what I expected to IN that administration
eHciencv ability and honesty. know how its
movements are co-ordinateu, adjusted and d.
rected toward the end Of the public good by the
strong executive force which ernanates from the
White House