Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-02-16
OFFICIAL PAPER OF COUNTY
SOMETHING OF A DILEMMA.

The Republican Party IL Between
the Devil and the Deep Sea
Over Hanns.
Between the growing distrust Of
Roosevelt and the doubtful availability
Of Hanna the republican party hnds It
self In a desperately weak situation; q
situation which is BADLY disclosed now,
says the St Louis Republic, with Roose-
welt being pounded all along the lines
Of the organization and the Wall street
Influence. going with the organization
In the effect to develop Hanna's boom.
Distrust of Roosevelt has crystallized
into open opposition by the business In.
terests, not only Of Wall street, but OF
the country very generally. Tbs great
part of the business of the country does
not possess either the interest or the !,
Influence of Wall street if politics; but
ts conservatives; desirzs to follow the
established COMMERCIAL conventions;
relies substantially upon secure and I
conservative. administration; and re-
sents vagasdes which are apt to dusturb
and unsettle It's whole basis Of opera
lions lUneasiness perhaps best describes (
thrattitude of Americas commercial In |
erests toward Roosevelt; not 80 much |
hneasiness for his further acts during
the present term as for his course should
be receive the Office upon his own ac-
count by the vote Of the people.
II In contemplating the Roosevelt Of now
and the Roosevelt of the future clear
distinction is made. Mr. Roosevelt, sud-
denly elevated to the presidency by the
tragedy at Buffalo implicitly assumed
a continuation Of McKinley's policies;
these constituted tacit incumbrance.
rs 1t were, and the obligation rested upon
the successor to carry them out. Tn
questionably this obligation has had a
restraining influence upon Mr.. Roose-
welt, though he has by no means kept
within the Limitations Of the Mckinley
conservatism at all times. He has been
sufficiently impulsive, radical and err
ratio on several occasions to demon
strate what he might do If placed In Of
fee upon his own responsibility and
without the superimposition OF re-
straining influences.
Given clear title to the presidency
by popular suffrage, what would the
pride, the egotism and self-will OF thif
extremist lead him to? Ihis is the ques'
ton which the financial, industrial and
mercantile communities are asking
themselves.
The answer is indicated by the forcei
which are rolling up for Hanna. Ohit
and Indiana are for Hanna. New Yorl
goes without saying Pennsylvani.
would be for him likewise. Probably
illinois would. The influences in these
states are strong enough to dominate
the 1vssos.
date nan Roosevelt? In one sense b.
would. Behind him would be united ant
thorough organization. Behind hin
would also be the republican interest,
known as wall street." which hav,
withdrawn from Roosevelt. Business
interests" generally would perhaps &C
cord to Hanna, if president, create
confidence than they now repose in MI
Roosevelt.
But from the standpoint Of the peo
pie, Hanna would be no unmixed bless
nee, the republican party would hav
to face defensively the great natione
question Of corruption in the federal ser
vice. The department scandals hav
eonclusively revealed the link whic
sconnects Doodle with the machine wit
which Hanna is associated and has bee
sgely instrumental in perfecting.
ct the fact remains that Hanna IL n
Jfe identified with the organization
han was Roosevelt up to within recen
!, weeks. Roosevelt assiduously cult
waited machine strength by every mean
In his power; by appointments, by capt.
nlations to the machine, by concession
even by the abandonment OF previousl
expressed convictions and intention
concerning vital issues. And by thes
means he succeeded in developing an
possessing no inconsiderable pull wit
the powers that be. Nor did his machin
strength wane until the distrust Of tn
3 financial and mercantile interests gener
ally became manifest and Wall stree
threw its influence into the opposin
scale.
Thus the republican party stands be
tween the devil and the deep blue sea
between unsafe radicalism and machin
concentration-the former dangerous
nmmercial, industrial and financis
health; the latter lacking, even in great
Or degree, the confidence Of the masse
Up Against II.
The Blotter You look blue. What
the matter?