The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-01-07
SIGN OF SOUTHERN SANITY
Roosevelt Will Be More Kindly Judged
When He Is Better In
derstood.

It is apparent that the democratic
press of the country, and more espe-
cially of the southern states, is travel
ing the same path with reference to
President Roosevelt that it pursued in
its treatment of the late lamented Pres
ident Mckinley, says the Donaldsville
(La.) Chief. During the campaign that
preceded his election in 1896 and 1900,
Mr.. Mckinley was criticised, de-
nounced and abused with no less sever
ity and rancor than has characterized
Mr.. Roosevelt's treatment by the oppo;
sition press in the campaign of this
year. Mr.. Mckinley was declared to
be a plant tool of the trusts and the
creature of Mark Hanna, and all sorts
of dire misfortunes were prophesied as
inevitable consequences of his eleva-
ton to the presidency in the first in
stance, and his continuance in Office
for a second term. Immediately fol-
lowing his reelection, however, an ERA
of good feeling" began. Papers and
politicians that had been foremost in
heaping obliquy upon the president be-
came quite as prominent in testifying
to his virtues and good intentions.
To the most casual observer of pres
ent-day events and indications SINH
lar change of tone and temper is mani
fest in the comments of the democratic
papers concerning the acts and utter
ances of President Roosevelt. 1t is
quite safe to predict that within the
next year at farthest the absurd accu-
sations that the president is less
friendly to the south than to other sec
tions of the nation; that he believes
in the social equality of the races and
that he is an egotistical and impulsive
man whose inordinate ambition is like
ly to involve the United States in i'm
broglos with other countries, will be
relegated to the campaign ash pile, and
Mr.. Roosevelt will be generally regard
ed as safe and sane president as any
of his predecessors.
AS matter of fact, President Roose-
welt has done no more than President
Mckinley did to warrant the imputa-
ton of unfriendliness to the south. The
Indianola post Office incident was the
counterpart of an incident of the Nc
Kinley administration. More negroes
were appointed to Office under McKin-
ley and possibly under Cleveland also,
than under Roosevelt. The Booker
Washington luncheon in the privacy of
the executive Office was very far from
possessing the social significance at
taching to the participation Of Fred
Douglas and his white wife in demo-
cratic President Cleveland's wedding
reception at the white house. No pres
ident has ever chosen better class of
officials in the southern states than
Roosevelt's appointees, and none has
made so many selections from the
ranks of his political opponents. In
all of the numerous positions of trust
and responsibility he has been called
upon to fill Theodore Roosevelt acquit-
ted himself with credit and honor, and
an overwhelming majority Of his coun-
trymen have already expressed the
conviction that he has done and will
continue to do equally well in the
presidency.
AS these facts permeate the minds Of
the people who have hitherto been
blinded by partisan prejudice and mis-
representation, a kinder and juster
Judgment of the PRESIDENTS course and
character will be formed, and II his
life is spared. Il may be accepted as a
foregone conclusion that he will be-
come in the south, as he already is in