The Washington times., 1905-05-19
RooseVelt's Little Stick.

In the hands of men entirely great
the stick is mightier than the graft
that grew IT.
The public is about to hear, is now
hearing, the very most moral, inter
esting, and lofty sentiments concern
ing American labor, governmental en-
enlargement of the home market, ct
eetera, ct eetera, ad infinitum ct ad
hauseam Ii the persons who are
gasping these delightful bits of soph-
istry only believed a third of what
they are saying they might fool the
american public into swallowing the
rest of it. But they don't believe one
bit of it: they know, and the public
knows. and they know the public
knows, and the public knows that
they know. that the output of their
industrial. mouths is nothing more
than a continuous and iridescent
Web, woven to catch the contract flies,
now Matching in the isthmian canal
incubator.
The people know and love Theodore
Rooseyelt, and they have a speaking
acquaintance with Judge Taft. The
man who accuses either of these
Americans of unfriendliness to home
labor or home markets will have to
make good-and it can't be done. But
Theodore Roosevelt knows, and Jadge
rats knows, and the public knows,
that when the Isthmian Canal Com.
mission announced its decision TO buy
ships and materials In the worlds
markets, the executive thereby de-
clared its independence OF the I'M
patriotic vampires who would suck
the blood out OF Uncle Sam while he
slept on that inflated mattress, the
tariff. There is where the little stick
hurts, and it hurts a whole lot.
Great public enterprises and neces-
sites breed graft and extortion. War
IS the favorite field for the vultures
that prey on contracts, and the build
ing OF the isthmian canal is almost
as tempting 70 them as a great war
Men who are ordinarily honest, as
honesty goes, think nothing of rob
bing the Government under the forms
OF law, backed up by public policy;
when they are thwarted in their de-
signs there is the deuce to pay.
The mind of man can hardly con-.
eeive the innumerable twists and turns
that will be given to the discussion by
those whom Mr. Rooseyeltg Little
Stick lambasts. Already we are in
formed that the Panama canal is Pan
dora's box; not only will it wreck
the Republican party but our very
system OF government itself. the pres
ent decision of the commission is only
the beginning OF a series Of horrors
that will not only astound the world
but even shake the confidence of the
stand-patters - than which nothing
could be more dreadful. The war has
been carried into Africa, that portion
Of the darkest continent known as
Wall Street. in the hope that the
punlfe may be de1uded into believing
that because the Executive has served
notice that exorbitant prices will not
be tolerated, therefore there is a lack
Of confidence. But the public has
been fairly well educated in Wall
Street methods recently, thank you,
and understands that the cardinal
rule Of the game is to depress prices
whenever the public has the stocks.
Perhaps the most amusing spectacle
afforded by this three-ring circus is
the aerobatic effort OF the graft ath-
letes to persuade labor that the de-
cision will hurt the artisans and
werkmen Of this country. The an
swer to ali of their word jugglery
being plain TO everyone: There will
be no further use OF the little stick,
no greater purchases abroad than will
suffice to induce our local dealers to
sell to Uncle Sam at their foreign
market prices.
Mr. Roosevelt is not only honest
himself but has put himself on record
as opposed to dishonesty in others.
The legitimate interests OF American
labor and American capital are safe
in his hands. Their greed for ex-
tortionate profits he will curb for the
benefit of all.