The Elbert County tribune., 1904-10-20
RO0sEvELT's COURAGE.
Its QnaIity IL Such that 1t comm auds
kespect and Ad mirntIon.


Respect and mirrtion.
This Presidential campaign has re-
solved itself into study of President
Roosevelt and the three years of his ad
ministration. Beginning with much con-
fidence and good will. the public has
learned. from an extended'examination OF
the Presidents public acts and utter
ances. fresh respect for the man on the
bridge of the ship of state.
And the study of events and how they
were met has revealed how much is need
ed in the makeup of the American Chief
Executive the quality of courage. Not
physical courage. merely. but that endur-
ing. steadfast holding to duty without
fear of present or future personal con-
sequences which nerves men Of strong
moral and mental fibre.
Ii takes the strongest kind Of moral
courage to meet the questions which
confront the American people Of our day.
The President. MS representing the whole
people of the country. must meet these
questions as hest he can. He must he
eyes. ears. hands md feet for the tre-
mendous interests confided to his care.
In short. he is the executive head Of the
nation.
To this great office President Roose-
welt brought highly organized brain.
an educated understanding. n cultivated
personality. OF ardent temperament he
easily secured public affection and all
miration. But. along with his charming
good fellowship and broad humanity. he
Ind the supreme quality of courage.
Very soon this possession was called
out In n manner both unexpected and un-
precedented. and the people began fully
to know their President.
The first record breaker was the taxi
ing up by President Roosevelt of the
coal strike. and its happy settlement.
Let no one under-rate the frmness Of
purpose. the sense of duty. and the high
appreciation Of public accountability
with which this step was taken. No one
of President Roosevelts friends advised
him to attempt what everyone believed
would be failure. But the commission
was appointed, It's work was carefully
laid out for II, and. backed as It was
by President Roosevelt's personality and
position, 1t won peace from the gripped
hand of greed. and millions Of men. wo-
men and children 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
courage. and again courage!
Again. when the people began to de-
SPAR under the heavy tread of the over.
towering trust monopolies. President
Roosevelt took the initiative toward regu-
Intion by law of the Illegal combinations
which threaten the smaller corporations
ms well as individuals. Now, again
there were discouragers of action. Again
there were many who, seeing the danger
still could see no way of escape. And
again. through the constituted channels
of legal action. President Roosevelt tool
the initiative in the defense against tres
passers upon the national laws of com
merce and labor. In the Northern Sc
curities case the Court sustained tn,
position of the executive, and gave thu
| people lesson as to one lawful wa.
by which illegal monopolies can be con
| trolled.
There have not been wanting othe
examples of courage and sense of re
sponsibility in Roosevelt's Presidential
career. The two instances referred t.
here are enough to remind people wha
manner of man sits now In the Presi
dents chair at Washington. We nee,
courage there Mt the head Of the nation
We are not going to part with 1t at thi
stage Of our growth and progress.