Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-10-20
~Ro0sEvELTs COURAGE
x@ Quality Il Such that 1t Com mands Re-
spect and Admiratisn.


This presidential campaign has re-
soived itself into a study Of President
Roosevelt and the three years of his
administration. Beginning with much
coincidence ana good will, the public
mas learned, from an extended exam
ination of the Presidents public acts
ana ~utterances, fresh respect for the
man on the bridge of the ship of state.
n the study of events ami how
they were met has revealed how much
is needed in the makeup of the Amer
lean chief executive the quality of
courage. Not physical courage. mere
~, but that enduring, steadfast hold
ing to duty without fear of present
or future personal consequences which
nerves men of strong moral and men
tai fibre.
1t takes the strongest kind of moral
courage to e the questions which
confront the American people of our
day. The President, as representing
the whole people of the country. must
e these questions as best he can.
He must be eyes, ears, hands and feet
for the tremendous interests contided
to his care. In short, he is the execu-
tive head of the nation.
To this great office President Roose-
welt brought a highly organized brain.
an educated understanding, a cult
waited personality. OF ardent temper
ament, he easily secured public affec-
tinn md o1,,ira IT,, D,% ,lN,. ,.,;.l
his charming good fellowship and
broad humanity he had the supreme
quality of courage. Very soon this
possession was called out in IA manner
both unexpected and unprecedented,
and the people began fully to know
their President.
The first record breaker was the TAX
ing up by President Roosevelt of the
coal strike, and its happy settlement.
Let no one under-rate the tirmness of
purpose, the sense of duty, and the
high appreciation of public accounta-
bility with which this step was taken.
No n Of President ROosevelt's friends
advised him to attempt what every
n believed would be a failure. But
the commission was appointed, its
work was carefully laid out for 1t, and,
backed as 1t was by President Roose-
velts personality and position, 1t won
peace from the gripped hand of greed.
and millions Of men, women and chill
dren were. in consequence. warmed
and fed and sheltered from the storms
OF winter.
In this life of ours the first gift to
all the sons of men is courage. And
then courag e, and again COURAGE!
Again, when the people began to de
spair under the heavy tread of the
overpowering trust monopolies, Presi-
dent Roosevelt took the initiative to-
ward regulation by law of the Illegal
combinations which threaten the
smaller corporations as well as indi-
viduals. Now, again, there were dis
couragers Of action. Again there We're
many who, seeing the danger. still
could see no way of escape. And
again, through the constituted chan
nels Of legal action, President Roose-
welt took tue initiative in the defense
against t~respassers upon the national
laws Of commerce and labor. In the
Northern Securities case the court sus-
tanned the position of the executive,
and gave the people a lesson as to one
lawful way by which illegal monopo-
lies can be controlled.
There have not been wanting other
examples Of courage and sense Of re-
sponsiblity in Roosevelt's presidential
career The two instances referred to
here are enough to remind people what
manner of man sits now in the Presi-
dents chair at Washington. We need
courage there at the head of the ma
ton. We are not going to part with it
at this stage of our growth and prog
ress.