The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-28
"MR. ROOSEVELT AND THE PRES
IDENCY."

A mysterious pamphlet with the
above title is delivered through the
mails to us and presumably to the 9TH
er newspaper editors of the country.
1t Is carefully anonymous. The cover
says, "By a Spectator" and the legend
at the end says that copies may be OBJ
tanned at the New. York Office of the
American News company. There is no
other indication of it's origin: but the
heavy paper, the fine modern type, the
luxurious margins, all indicate no lack
of means. Money has not been spared
in putting out this advance document
of the campaign.
Any friend of Mr.. Roosevelt must
tear his hair when he reads this plea
and this defense in the interest of his
favorite. 1t amounts to wall that
the moneyed men of the East will not
contribute money to aid in the election
OF the president, and the conservative
men of the East will not vote for him.
1t is despairing appeal to them to
reconsider. And first and worst of all
it is savage attack upon the late
Senator Hanna, as the one dangerous
opponent Of the presidents desires.
OF him it says: while 1 believe
that everyone who knows Senator Han
ma likes and respects him, it is certain
ly true that he is associated in the
mind of the public at large with too
many people in public life who are
under Indictment or who are threat
ened with indictment, to be comfort
able candidate" The execrable, the in
fernal taste of this extract, whatever one
may think of the fact is exposed by
PREDATORY note which says, "Since this
was printed Senator Hanna has passed
away" What must his friends think
of the advocate who, having written
such words of him when he was a Iiy-
ing and barely prospective candidate,
could coldly give to them the widest
circulation as Roosevelt campaign
document before the great Republican
senator was cold in his tomb?
The argument of the brochure is east
ly stated. 1t says that the nomination
of Roosevelt cannot be prevented now;
from which. without challenging it, we
shall let Republicans draw what com
fort they may. 1t abuses the Demo-
Gratis, with a vicious fling at those of
the Hebrew race, which we can also re-
gard with eQuanimity. 1t then takes I'm
serially the three objections to Mr.
Roosevelt which it finds most preva
lent among Republicans and most dan
gerous to his success. These are. his
attack upon the Northern Securities
company, his course in the Panama af-
fair, and the conviction that he is a man
of impulses and therefore dangerous to
the peace of the country.
The treatment of the first is naive
and instructive. The writer, having an
eye to the immense aggregate of cap
ital in other enterprises threatened
with destruction if the supreme court
should sustain all the positions taken
by the inferior tribunal, and to the
need of Roosevelt campaign contribu
tons which he would persuade from
unwilling pockets, admits frankly the
danger and misfortune Of the presi-
dents course. But, he says, and in this
he speaks truly, the outcome has been
to correct an unreasonable "anti-can-
italistic feeling" and to emphasize in
the public mind the unwisdom of
sweeping legislation like the Sherman
antitrust act, passed to placate a heat
ed public feeling without the least con-
ception of what effect it may have
when interpreted by the courts.
Thus, says our ingenious gentleman.
the parties assailed have really gained.
by the clearer understanding and het-
ter appreciation of their plans and mo-
tives conveyed to the public. But. ad-
uniting the result, may we not since
motives are in question, ask whether
this was the intention of the presi-
dent? Is one to thank the man who sets
fire to his house because it gets rid of
rats? Would the average citizen clasp
to his bosom as benefactor the gen
tleman who sued him for arson or en-
bezzlement or bigamy, because the en-
suing trial developed his honesty and
public spirit? Is it the best way to
establish your physical soundness to
have your friend hit you over the head
with bludgeon or administer a dose
of poison, SO that your splendid re-
Operative powers may find free scope?
We are inclined to think that the mil
lions who have suffered loss throuob