The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-23
JEKYLL AND HYDE.

Even the IdifeSt OIL Lnefn, says a
contemporary, referring to Democratic
newspapers, "who in the first two years
of the Roosevelt era seemed inclined
to recognize the high moral and politi-
cal purposes of the president, now lose
no opportunity for a fling at him,
! however undeserved." But has our
contemporary considered that there
are two Roosevelts, the former of
whom is as unlike the latter as are
the two characters in the famous story
referred to in our caption?
President Roosevelt is the most lam
entable instance of man Unnatural
ability and admirable parts fallen low
before the corrupting effects of, politi-
| cal ambition that this country has fur
| nished. There are men who go into
politics ready to make any concession
| and stoop to any deeps essential to
! success. There are weak men who
consciences until they divide our pity
and our contempt. But it is only rare
| ly that man with genuinely high
! ideals and a character of really strong
moral fiber like President Roosevelt's 8
deliberately barters all inherent nobii-
ity, all that makes life worth living,
for petty prize.
While President Roosevelt dared to
| be himself he could afford to and die
have high moral and political pur-
poses" Such are the instincts of the
man. Today We believe he would still
| rather raise himself to that standard
| than fall below it. Yet since the mo-
ment that the insane longing for an
other term possessed him wholly he
! has been wholly faithless. Such
recreancy in him is as much more no.
ticeabie as it is more reprehensible
than like deelension in worse ana
weaker man.
Hardly a day has passed in the last
two years without some action on the
part of President Roosevelt that has
shamed his admirers and made his
friends heartsick. He has fallen away
| immeasurably not only from his own
preaching, but from his own earlier
purpose. Look at his appointments
everywhere. See his surrender to the
| spokesman. Put AN eye on Payne in
the pestofice. Read the reports of
Conrad and Bonaparte on postal scan
! dals, and then consider how Roose-
Welt has treated notorious offenders
like Postmaster Van Colt, of New
York city Ponder upon the relations
between Roosevelt and Addicks, Look
| at his treaties with Platt and with
Quay. Read his published. speeches on
the subject of tariff reform since "the
Roosevelt era" began and match them
with his present position.
The truth is that recent times have
furnished no such melancholy specta-
Gle as the decline and fall of Theodore
Roosevelt. We believe his first phase
to have been as sincere as it was ad-
mirable. We believe him to be TODAY.
in his own heart and in the loneliness
of his own chamber, the unhappiest Of
men. We rank him with those great
reeanters whose fall turned all other
glory into shame He is q reformer
by instinct and belief, turned spoils-
man through greedsof worthless honor.
He is the man of admirable aspiration
whom practical politics has forced to
grovel in the mire. The DR.. JekyII who
stood for high ideals in life and in goy-
ernment, and who won the hearts of
enthusiastic American people. has be-
come the Mr.. Hyde Of a party cam
paign managed from the White house.
This is the sober and solemn truth,
and it is spoken with the utmost sor-
row and regret by those who can find
no party advantage to compensate
them for the shattering of an Illusion.
or the loss to the world Of a high
hearted and cleanhanded man.