Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-01-16
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

Spirit Lake Beacon.-Here is in
some respects the strangest charac-
ter that ever became prominent in the
national life. At some times he has
broken all the rules of politics and
logically belongs in the ranks of the
unsuccessful and the disappointed in
stead of at the pinnacle of political
fame. Elected to the legislature in
a city district by ignoring the usual
rules of the game, he proceeded to
shock the staid old legislative wheel
horses by knocking against the ma
organized hypocrisy. Then after be-
ing told he had killed himself politi-
cally he was elected to another term.
In 1894 when Blaine was political
idol he went into the fight to divide
New York and at the Chicago con-
vention brooked the sneers of the ma
jority and made an unpopular speech.
AS police commissioner and civil SER
vice commissioner he was understood
to be getting in trim for political OBJ
Scurity by doing the unpopular and
unreasonable things politically
AS assistant secretary of the navy
in piping times of peace Roosevelt was
understood to be securely banked in,
but along came the Spanish war and
the Rough Riders and San Juan hill,
giving him such a headway for the
New York governorship that he could
not be sidetracked by the machine.
He wrenchel the nomination from the
unwilling hands of the old veterans,
and at the tail end of special train
finished the work that made his cleo
tion sure, though illogical. Then as
and play poor politics. He refused to
see that he must stand in" or go
broke politically. Instead of placat-
ing the powerful corporations of the
Empire state, Governor Roosevelt
took them by the throat-not to de-
stroy but to make for justice and
fairness. BY this time he had become
intolerable to the leaders, who insist
ed thatsno man could play the game
SO iawkwardly and stay in. 1t became
necessary to provide for his elegant
retirement from the field of political
activity To make him McKinley's
running mate would do the business.
The victim of this Punishment plot
made Intellectual resistance. He then
months later the unexpected happened,
happaned again, and the political
builders saw the stone they had re-
jected become "the head stone of the
corner"
True to his character, Theodore
Roosevelt continued to consult his
conscience and to keep an eye sin
SIC " tlC AlSASSI SIlUS OIL uuIy.
He counseled widely with national
leaders and gave earnest heed to all
sources of information, but reserved
the right of ultimate judgment. His
administration made good his decla-
rations as to trust treatment With
out malice he met and grappled with
the problems involving the relations of
capital and labor and showed himself
big enough to be fair to all concerned
not forgetting the people generally.
OF course this was not good politics.
Men who had studied the rules of the
game from their youth up said it was
awful for president to get tangled
up with the miners and the operators
when it was so clearly his play to sit
back and view with regret the most
unfortunate disagreement between
these importan Industrial forces" but
while the forces wrangled his people
We're suffering and dying and he be-
l1eved he ought to use the prestige
they had given him in minimizing this
calamity. 1t was poor politics. but it
was splendid public service. For his
pernicious activity in interrupting the
smooth course of monopoly he arous-
ed the ire of the Napoleons of finance.
who swore vengeance. 1t was first
planned to kill him at the convention
but this has been Abandoned Mo-
nopoly and capitalistic greed has no
party. and now it is their purpose to
throw the close states to the demo-
cratic candidate and finally suppress
this uncomfortable factor in our pub
lie affairs.
1t will not work. The people have
their way when they become aroused,
and they will make sure the calling
and the election of Theodore Roose-
velt this year. According to all the
rules he was due at the political junk
heap years ago, but he has now be-
come so much law unto himself and
unto all his people that he can not be
put down in this supreme test at the
bar of roplIlar onjnion