The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-09-05
HIS CANDIDACY DEMANDED
Unless Public Opinion Changes Dur.
ing Next Three Years Awkward
Position Awaits Him.


Record-Herald says:
Is President Roosevelt's triumph as
the peacemaker to make him his own
successor in the White house despite
his declared intention not to accept
another term? This is the question
which many men are now asking.
Eminent foreigners attending the
peace conference express great sur
prise when told that this is Mr.. Roose-
velt's last term in the presidency.
They cannot understand how the Am
erican people can permit such a pub
lie servant to retire to private life.
How Foreigners Regard Him.
| These foreigners look upon Mr.
| Roosevelt not only as the greatest
man America has had in the presiden.
tial chair for a gentleman, but they
frankly confess he is by long odds the
greatest man now upon the worlds
stage. In his character, his achieve
ments, his prestige, his power for
good, our friends from across the
sea place him higher than any other
head of a state. No other head of Il
government could have done what Mr..
Roosevelt did, they say.
Americans Talk Same Way.
But it is noteworthy that just at
this moment many Americans are talk
ing the same way. For instance, a
leading newspaper of New York, and
democratic paper at that, editorially
declared all the probabilities are Mr..
Roosevelt will be freed by his party to
The presidents wonderful achieve
ment as a peacemaker has fired the
imagination of the world. He is her
aided by friend and foe alike as the
foremost man of his time" as the
first citizen of the world" as the
greatest factor for good upon the
globe"
A Friends Opinion.
Weeks ago, before the success of
the peace conference was foreseen,
and when the president himself ex-
pressed his thought as one of hope,
not one of confidence, | discussed the
subject of Mr. Roosevelt's future with
one of his closet and most confidential
friends.
THE president is absolutely sin
cere,' said this gentleman, who had
within the week been Mr.. Roosevelt's
guest for several days and nights 'He
means precisely what he says. There
is no string to his declaration. He
will live up to it to the limit of his
power. He will throw all his energy
into the maintenance of his pledge.
No one shall ever be able to accuse
him of indirection or of acting a part.
But"
"You pause" said I to the presi-
dents friend. "Please go on"
well, if the president retains his
wonderful popularity, if he makes a
success of the peace conference, if he
goes through the next three years
without making any serious blunder,
I believe the people of the United
States, almost regardless of party, will
rise up and demand that he stay where
he is. And if they do SO, if the de-
mand is genuine and hearty and rep
resentative of the will of the major
ity of the people, do not see how
any living man can resist it.
Il cannot speak for the president.
But know him well. He believes 1T
to be the duty of every American to
obey the voice of the people. He took
the vice-presidential nomination, not
because he wanted it, but because he
told me and his other friends that no
man has the right to dictate to his
party or to the people what they shall
do. It is for the people to command,
for the individual to obey. That is
his philosophy And I anticipate that
three years hence Mr.. Roosevelt is to
be tried as American public man new
er before was--tried by a popular COM
mand that he retract his own volun-
tary pledge"
Would there have been a treaty
of peace br' the work OF Presi-
dent asked a high-plac-
ed m .,4 .oday