Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-23
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PEOPLE

THE PRESIDENT AM Mo PeOVIe
Something more than a year ago
VIM. J. Bryan delivered n OF MS
notable addresses In this city. In
earnest and eloquent language ne
pointed to unsettled conditions In the
Philippines. to the black war 0
rising In the far east and he declared
with vehemence that theodore Roose-
welt was not a safe man to have at
the head of a great nation like TINS
Mr.. Bryan referred to various actions
and u%tterauces OF the president as
showing that he was warlike and I'M
safe. He objected to his advocacy OF
the big stick and he quoted Governor
Frank Black, who In nominating Pres
ident Roosevelt, made reference 10
| the necessities Of war.
Many will remember Bryan's elo-
quent words when he quoted B'ack.
.However, we MAJ dream OF a dav
+, OF universal peace, yet outside In the
darkness we must hear the tramp Of
armies. and around the wires OF the
world must run the shudder OF me
battle cry, and the still form and white
face must yet proclaim that war shail
not cease" Roosevelt was nominal
ed on this platform" declared Bryan,
"he stands for war, but my Bible tells
me that the ruler Of this world shall
be called the Prince OF Peace
In many parts Of this country Bryan
and others pointed to Preslden.
Roosevelt as the exempliiication o.
the war spirit. Many of his loya'
followers believed ne was q little Toe
much tinctured with the love OF the
pomp and panoply of war. though
they realized his strong n ano
quick perception Of those things tna'
are right.
nut o has Roosevelt disappointed
those who expected to see him plunge
this nation in to groundless war;? no"
thoroughly satisfied as to his SAFE
ness" have the people at large DC
come. The world has acknowledged
him as the greatest of all opponents
OF peace. Mr.. Bryan has been mani!
and broad enough to admit that ne
was mistaken in his Characterization
OF the president.
A new exemplification of the pres
ident as an exponent OF the peace
spirit is furnished by his present triI
Ito the south. He carries with mn
south of the line of Mason and DiN
on that boundiess human sympathy
thar intense interest in everybody
that wins for him everywhere sucl
enthusiastic personal regard.
The lessons of this visit Will bt
much wider than their influence OF
the south alone. They will also teact
much of Importance to the north.
II is true that the old soldiers have
no bitterness left. No sectional feel
Ing is rampant on either side OF TN
line.
But to have the cordia. feeling. tht
common respect and enthusiasm To-
heroes Of both north and south givef
frank and strong expression by tht
nations executive has a much broade'
Significance than Its connection VIII
the wal or than any Of the other re
suits OF the a
The warm neart Of the south liant
.l.~u o-alv Wnannn0a IN Vnt
thought and expression Of the presi
dent, who sees a new mental OUTLOOK
an outlook born Of modern Thought
an untlook that presupposes an Amer
lean one in heart and feeling and pur
pose one all essential issues.
TIE president has yet some mission
TO speseorm. The e%detraction from mn
tional unity ID not the generous. pas
sionate south nor the rough and Wig
oro,s west. II ~ the scheming. sci
olvh. bigoted east, which still to I
gerater or less degree images tina
4 has a God.eivsn right to enforce 1T
wishes upon the rest Of the nation. II
fact 4 great many Of the New Eng
flanders have yet to learn that there
Is any rest Of the nation. But ever
into the slow, provincial and narrow
brain Of the New Englander Is pene
trating the spirit Of broad mindednes'
and gentle tolerance that Is weldint
the nation with bonds as soft as Sill
but as strong as the grandest steel
The president Of the United states
and the people Of this country are no
for war. 1.-THE people of the worit
have but one interest II properly un
derstood." wrote Justice John ia,
long ago. In a narrower sense the
people OF this nation have but n In
%terest and aud they are beginning tc
understand It. There is no o In
the deep center of truth and human
REALTY and national understanding
for prejudice, for passion. for war