Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-25

is not going to show his teeth and the
voice that once through Minneapolis
halls shouted "Shackle the trusts
and once through Cincinnati's halls
cried out that the Standard Oil com
pany and the anthracite trust received
no protection under the Dingley bill is
as still as the conscience of a private
monopoly. Mr.. Roosevelt is even do
ing his thinking away back in his
hind-head, in a little occipital closet
as far removed from the processes
of communication as the niche of some
tiny saint away down under the dark
stairway of a cathedral.
Formerly the silence of Judge Par
ker was impressive. 1t was the more
so because of the public expectation
that it would be broken with a signifi-
cant message to the world. The expec-
tation has been fulfilled. Judge Par
ker has become the speaking candi-
date. Mr.. Roosevelt has become the
silent candidate. The silence of Judge
Parker was as nothing to the silence
of Mr.. Roosevelt. The silence of Judge
Parker was the silence of dignity and
meditation. prompted by a sense OF the
eternal fitness of things. The silence
of Mr.. Roosevelt at Oyster Bay IS as
the silence of one who has finished
speaking: of one who has spoken at
great length and has come to period
with exhaustion; OF one who has said
even too much. II is the silence OF
one who fears TO say more. Mr.. Roose-
yeltwill not denounce private monopO-
" in this campaign; will not boast or
the Northern securities decision; Will
not denounce Wall street. There VIII
be no strenuous stumpinS. 1t IS IN the
off wear. when his party machine fights
for a majority margin in congress,
that Mr.. Roosevelt arraigns the pow
ers that be-leaving himself period
of two years for Capitulation. You
can't stir up the people and keep
peace with the trusts in presidential
wear and Mr.. Roosevelt knows it.
Even the oysters mediate down IN the
deeD bosom of the ocean bed know
that little secret.
Mr. Roosevelt in retreat presents
new phase of the politician to the
American people. Mr.. Roosevelt in
Solemn sen - g B'N'N'N
of momentous wonder. Repose was
never a part of ROOseveltism. and for
the strenuous one to become suddenly
the great silent and almost gloomy
feature of the republican campaign is
almost as if a harlequin turned Fran
ciscan
The grave Mr.. Roosevelt withdrawn
far from publicity into the ShrOuded,
silence of Oyster Bay! And yet the
machine doesn't seem to care. Per
haps the price of his silence is meas
ured in the campaign contributions OF
unlawful monopoly. Perhaps some of
the magnates from Wall street who
lunched with him just before he left
the white house whispered a sugges-
ton TO him.
Mr.. Theodoreofhope doesn't even
have a word to say to his negro
friends Not a word will he utter up
ln the other race issue; for aught he
will say the world may suicide all it
Dleases between now and November.
Nor will he deliver any. more wal
or paint with crimson words
he story of the charge which swept up
he hill only to break at the summit
in the bloody spray of gallant failure
Not even the scratch of his pen is
heard No more Cuban letters will
he write No more COngratulatOry let
iers to Mr.. Payne upon the latter's
great reforms in the postal dapart
ment Mr.. ROOsevelt's silence means
much less to the American people in
he way of amusement, entertainment
and excitement.
Mr. Roosevelt has so far withdrawn
himself from the world that he re-
quires a Loeb to do his hearing for
him. and even a Loeb who is a little
deaf 1t is useless for labor unions
to try TO make Mr.. Roosevelt hear
through this Loeb. But if Wall street
and monopoly should whisper down
hat way. would they be heard?
Mr. RoOsevelt's silent sequestra-
ration at Oyster Bay is almost tragic.
Can il be that he has already entered
upon the Silly Oblivion of political
loom? Is it the beginning which has
40 end? Perhaps the bivalves in the
,1up daDtbS pf tho baN paD tell