The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-20
MIR. ROOSEVELT AND THE SOUTH
His True Attitude Toward the South is
 Appreciated.

His True Attitude Toward the South is
 Appreciated.
 New Orleans Times-Democrat
 It Is undeniable that the more inti- mately one becomes acquainted with the policy of the President of the one has for the ability and manliness Of the man. Entering upon his first term comparatively little known throughout the country, many of his acts were misconstrued and consequent iy mistudged But since he has been in the limelight of national politics for some years and has gone through a hotly contested campaign, insight has been given into his character and he mas grown steadily in public regard It has developed in the past few weeks that what he had to say about the regulation of predatory corpora tions and the control of railroad lines was not mere campaign talk to ad- vance his interests, but the earnest ex- pressions of an honest man, who makes pledges with the intention of keeping them. In fact, the political career of the President has shown that he Is rather a statesman than a politician, He is more disposed to make conces- sions after victory than for the pur- pose of achieving that victory. Mir. Roosevelt has said and done things since his election that a politician would have said and done during the campaign for the purpose of influencing votes, with the intention of forgetting them later. His utterances on popular issues have been much more decided since his election than when he was an aspirant for the suffrages of the people. Particularly is this true of his attitude toward the trusts and. the rail road companies, whom he is antagon- izing solely in the interest of the masses of the people.
 It is in his attitude toward the South that the people of this section are more nearly interested, of course, though the Southern people are with him entirely in his defense of the masses against the aggressions of predatory wealth. The statement of MT. W. J. Bryan that the Democrats in Congress should be re- quired to stand by the President in his attitude on these questions will meet with hearty, indorsement in this sec tion. But the regulation of predatory wealth. while as important in this sec tion as in the other sections of the Union, is not the predominant issue here. There is a question which com pletely overshadows even this great is- sue-the issue that has engaged the att tention of the best minds of the South for nearly half a century and which promises. unfortunately, to endure for some time to come. Left alone, the South could settle this issue as it should be settled, and permanently. hut un- fortunately there are politicians else where who believe they can make po- litical capital out of the agitation of the issue, and thus prevent its perma- nent settlement. The old cry that There's another campaign left in the bloody shirt" has been verbally chang ed, but the motive behind that slogan remains the same.
 The frank interview which President Roosevelt had with ex-Governor Jones of Alabama a day or two ago is assur- ance that the President has no sympa- thy with this sort of politics and will discourage 1t. "I am opposed to any Legislation cutting down the represent ation of the Southern States in Con- gress and the Electoral College" said the President to MT. Jones. There is no trimming in this statement, but the outspoken views of a man who has shown on more than one occasion that he is prepared to give any proportion ed thought his act. The statement of the President means that there is to be no Crumpackering of the South for political purposes during the adminis- tration of MT. Roosevelt, and the peo- pie of the South will accept his word as conclusive proof that his con duct will dove-tail into his words per fectly And what Is more, they will give to the Presidents administration, as so far outlined, as earnest support as though he were Of their own politI- cal faith. It appears that MT. Roose- velt's attitude on the negro question has been greatly misunderstood in the