The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-11-03
TIP FOR YEAR 1903
Roosevelt TO Be the Candidate
of the Democrats.
Prediction That's Freely Made
BY. Leading Politicians.
He Will Be Endorsed by the
Republican Convention.
! -. III
Presidents Remarkable Tour
Through the Southland.
lwELLMAN In CHICAGO HERAIp I

lwELLAAN IN CHICAGO HERALD
Washington, Oct. Theodore Roose-
'elt will be nominated for president by
The democratic party in 1906, will be
.ndorsed by the republican party and will
oe well-nigh unanimously elected.
This truly startling prophecy is made
lot by your correspondent, but by sew
Aral southern democrats and others who
nave either spoken or written to him on
the subject. 1t is a pretty big pill in
he forecast line to swallow at one dose
md careful observers will hesitate
ong time before they conclude that such
L revolution in our politics is to be
worked through the phenomenal popu
ofore had occasion to remark in con
Iteration of the political future of Mr.
Roosevelt, many things may occur dur
ng the next three years. 1t is by no
means certain his popularity with the
masses of the people, now one of the
most amazing things ever seen in our
political life, will endure the test OF
he coming years and trials.
A former democratic senator and one
Who has had much to do with the man.
cement of affairs for his party during
he last eight years says he has not thC
lightest doubt Mr. Roosevelt will be
he democratic nominee in 1908. In
his ~gentleman's opinion the democratic
viii make an opportunity to rehabilitate
themselves by holding their convention
before the republicans meet and by
laking Roosevelt their standard bearer,
hus forcing the republicans to follow
suit and trail after them. u
=. =.
One of my correspondents in the
south, a business man noted for his
zen insight into political affairs, as !
ave had occasion to observe quite of
en- in the past, writes me:
'As you know, / have never liked Mr..
Roosevelt very well. He is too intense
nd theatrical for me. But make nc
mistake, he has captured the south. All
he people down here are crazy over
i'm. / believe the democrats will name
i'm as their candidate three years
renee. He is their ideal. He is just
he man they have been looking for.
And if they do nominate him they will
lain that absolves him of his pledge,
given last fall, not to be candidate
lgain. Though / have never liked Mr..
Roosevelt, have enough respect for him
to believe he was sincere when he said
nder no circumstances would he be
candidate for another term. | believe
lie is sincere now But if such thing
Is nomination by both parties should
ONE about, which means that the peo-
lie, without respect to party, demanded
that he stay another term in the White
House, of course it would be impossible
or him to resist"
Another friend of mine in the south,
his one a politician, writes me in sim
liar vein. Here in Washington num-
ler of men, democrats as well as repub-
iicans, have spoken to me OF the prob
lbility that the democrats will be the
irst in the field in the next campaign,
stealing the republican thunder by nam
ing Roosevelt. These manifestations
If current opinion, while perhaps not
as an indication of future
events, are certainly too interesting to
be ignored.
Mr. Roosevelt may or may not be
the almost unanimous choice OF the peo-
de for his own successor, but it is sure
that his tour of the south, now just
has presented one Of the
most remarkable episodes known to the
political history of our country. 1t is
conceded to be such by all observers. Be-
tore he went south the people of that
section were mildly critical of Mr.. Roose-
welt. They were inimical to him, mod
erately, both as a man and as a presl-
dent. He had done and said things they
did not like He had rubbed the fur
the wrong way" But he goes down in
to their midst and conquers them. lie
captivates their imaginations. There
is something about Theodore Roosevelt
lit is not easy to say what it is-whlch
appeals to the hearts of people. He Is
fascinating There is glamour about
him. Probably it is the fascination OF
great earnestness which excludes all sls-
picion of acting. Mckinley made people
like him. But he was smooth and oily
and diplomatic. Even the men who
gave their affections to him sometimes
stopped to inquire how much of that
which pleased them was sincere and how
much was good acting. His intimates
knew that Mckinley was great nat
ural actor. If he had not taken to pub
lie life he could have won fame and for
tune on the stage. But Roosevelt is no
actor. If he is, he is such good one
that no one. ever discovers it.
In my ouinion the men who believe
Roosevelt's conquest of the south pre-
sages such startling political revolu-
ton as that which the prophets are now
talking about ascribe altogether too
much Importance to the heartiness and
enthusiasm of the southern nature
when stranger is within the gates and
is to be welcomed and to be made to
feel that he is among friends. The
southern people are noted for their
hospitality, for their warmth of feeling,
for their fine manners. We shall at
least have to wait time to see more
clearly what political effects are to fol-
low that wondrous tour.
That 1t was a most remarkable tour
every one comedies. Probably no other
president of the United States was ever
before received with such ovations as
were accorded Mr.. Roosevelt in the