The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-31
A PLEA FOR ROOSEVELT.
Judge Dickinson Says He Knows the
Presidents Patriotism Embraces
the Whole Country
(By the Associated Press. }

| Memphis Tenn. Dec. 29.-The Sig
ma Alpha Epsilon Greek Fraternity
! to-day elected general officers as fol-
| lows:
| Eminent Supreme Archon William
| Collins, Evanston. Ills. Honorary Emil
| nent Supreme Archon, Judge jacob
NJ. Dickinson, Chicago: Eminent Su-
lpreme Deputy Archon, Marvin +.
| Iiolderness, Nashville. Tenn, official
organ. r. Sydnor Harrison. Richmond.
| Va.
| Birmingham. Ala, was selected as
| the next meeting place of the fratern-
lily.
The final session continued until
after nightfall and was followed by Il,
notable banquet at which covers wer,,
laid for 300 The principal address
OF the evening was delivered by Judge
Jacob M. Dickinson, formerly Of Nash
vile, now of Chicago who is general
counsel for the Illinois Central Rail-
road and leading counsel for the Unit
ed States before the Alaskan Boundary
Commission.
Judge Dickinson said in part
day on the surface and politt-
cally there is more sharp sectional
feeling than existed five years ago.
This is / believe largely the result
of misunderstanding and eXaggeratiOn.
The President has gotten out with tnts
South or the South has gotten out with
the President or they have rotten out
with each other The President touch
ed a sensitive nerve in the South. The
response was prompt and in the opin-
ion of many the cutlery was eXagger-
ated. Issues were thought by many
to be evoked which were tremendous
and destructive. The President, IN a
fearless, impulsive. honest way, acted
on abstract propositions, and from his
point Of view no man could success
fully answer him. The South had to
deal with the same question not alb
stractly but modified by condition of
facts, that the outside world does NOT
readily accept in the full sense that
the people of the South understand
them. While the President would not.
believe, sacrifice a principle for mere
expediency, yet he would not hesitate
to take q large view Of conditions
which he understands and subordinate,
if necessary. q principle, if the working
out of grander results, equally founded
in justice and right, demanded it. Now
that he is reelected. has renounced
all further asnirations for the presi-
dency, has nothing TO fear and nothing
, to hope for politically except the hon
or or dishonor that Will follow his
name as a public servant his words
and acts should be judged free from
all partisan captiousness.
"While for political reasons l voted
against Mr.. Roosevelt. | never doubted
/ for a moment that his patriotism en-
braced the entire country and While
hold no brief for him and am in no
sense his spokesman. / know and know
lit absolutely, that the bitter personal
abuse heaped upon him by men who
claimed and appeared to represent tbs
South, has aroused in him no feeling
! of revenge or malice. He has shown
himself great in many ways but in ~,
reSDect greater than rising above the
petty feeling of men of little souls.
| am confident that if he shall be met
! by the South with the same spirit that
animates him there will be a good UNI
Iderstanding that will red ound to the
| welfare of the whole country