Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-09-01
Tho President In Foreign Matters.
philadelphia Press.

Philadelphia Press
The chief argument against President
Roosevelt, when boiled down to its hnal
essence, is that with his militant and ag-
ereeslve spirit he is liable to embroil the
country il foreign complications. This Is
the burden of the "World's" brief two
page paragraph. 1t is the implication oil
Judge Psrker's speech of acceptance. 1t is
the foundation of the whole attempt to ex-
cite feeling of apprehension or uncertain
".
There is better practical test for this
argument than any name assertion. Mr..
Roosevelt has been President for three
yeafs-for three-fourths of the period OF
full term. His administration during
that time shows better than any words
what he would do ami what he would not
do. What step has he taken in any for
eieu matter which bis critics would not
have takenp What has he done to embroll
the country in foreign entan0lements or to
imperil its peace? What policy has he
followed which is open to criticism2 II he
is full of dynamite would not the three
years give some evidenceY
The intervention in China came under
President Mckinley. That was the most
direct and palpable case of interference 10
the affairs of other nations since the inter-
yention in Cuba, which WIS also Mckln-
ley's act. Both were everlasting right
both we're beyond the objection even oi
the captious; and both were more sigma
instances of interposltion IN foreign affairs
than any TACT of President Roosevelt
Would any critic of the President nave
taken a different course from his In the
Venezuelan compilation last Year, Under
strong provocation England and Germany
set out to coerce the South American Re-
public; they bombArded her ports; they
sunk her puny navy; they demanded set
,Iement at the mouth of the cannon. The
.. ocesding was offensive to American SEN
tImeni; it was peiiously near an infringe
uIent of Tie Monroe Doctrine, and 1t would
have been easy for rash President tC
have rushed into trouble. But President
Roosevelt exercised moderating influence
all around and iLally brought about arbl'
traton. Was there anything wrong Oh
dangerous about that2
What have been his other foreign acts
The movement through Secretary hay tc
secure an international agreement for the
naturalization of China in the present Rus
sorJapanese war. The dispatch OF al
American feet to Turkey to constrain tht
consent of the Sultan that the American
citizen shall have the same rights as the
subjects of other countries in bis Empire
These constitute the Presidents active
steps in foreign matters. Who ventures
to take issue with themP Who says they
should not have been done or done differ
emily? Wherein do they show any pro-
pensity to aggressive or unjustl6able precl
pitation? If the critics were pinned dowr
to specify any active proceeding to which
they could take exception, they could name
nothing outside of the Panama transac
ton, and they now maintain careful 81
lence on that event, for they well know
that the country sustains and upholds the
Presidents prompt seizure OF timely and
fortunate opportunity. The practical test
of actual experience through three yeari
of administration explodes their whole ar
gument.