Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-04-11
STlRS UP ROOSEVELT.

PreSluenL l(OCSeNolI rs DeS!HHlnS ~
betray concern about the timidty OF
Republicans in congress, says Wash
their example will become contagiaas
and become feature OF the forth
coming presidential campaign. lie
wants them to assume the aggressive
in all matters political and cease be-
ing mere apolCgists for the acts OF the
administration. He is of the opinion
that nothing has happend since he
became president need be ap9logized
fer and that very much can be used
as arguments in favor of his nomina
tion and election.
The president has carefully studied
and analyzed speeches made in the
senate and house by such veteran cam
paigners as Dolliver, LoEge, Hale.
Spconer, Dalzell, Grosvenor and others
and finds running through them all the
unmistakable note of apology and tim
idity. The president has informed
his friends in congress that it is time
this sort of thing should step, that
future political speeches should be in
vein that will leave no doubt in the
public mind that the speaker believes
there is nothing to apologize for and
that there should be more good old
fashioned hammering Of the Demo
cratic party and its candidates.
The difficulty about achieving the
presidents program lies i'll the
fact that only a very small minority
of his party in congress is devoted to
his interests. The others are indif-
ferent as to whether he is nominated
and elected or not and would be de
lighted if circumstances would com
bine to take him out of the presidential
race Moreover. there is the memory
of the recent Bristow episode in the
house to keep alive bitter hostiiities
as long as Prevalent Roosevelt is in
power. One hundred and ffty-nine
members of the house were accused
of offenses running from misdemean-
ors to gross improprieties which they
will have to explain hereafter to their
constituents.
Because investigation has disclosed
that one of their own number was
chiefly responsible for bringing that
mass cf stuff before the house their
feelings toward the administration
have undergone no change. They re-
call that Bristow originally made the
bold charge that members of congress
had been guilty Cf upward OF 900 viola
tions of law-the charge that brought
out the pamphlet with the caption
Charges Against Members of Csn-
gress.' In their fury they joined with
Democrats in hurlinng ugly charges
against the pCstoffice department. and
its MANAGEMENT and promised that they
would support resolution to subject
it to a searching investigation. TO
that extent at least they gave support
L. lHS SSllSldiis NlSuilSQ bSilSl Nudl
the Bristow investigation, which re-
suited in the Indictment of a few Off
cials. only scratched the surface CT the
corruption that actually existed in the
department.
Having gone on record as accusers
of the Roosevelt administration, they
are now apparently unwilling to stul-
tify themselves by playing the roles OF
defenders. All this has been explained
to the president 1t has also been
explained to him that even his sincere
friends find it difficult TO become ag-
gresscTs in political debates when
Democratic senators and representa-
uves are hammering away at the ad-
ministration with facts disclosed
closed by officials Of the admnistra-
tlon. The president refuses to see
it that way He is therefore impetu-
ously demanding of every Republican
senator and representative who talks
politics with him that there shall be
complete change in the Republican
program.
W.