Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-10-27
WHICH KING is HE SERVING I

WHICH KING is HE SERvlN62
MIR. RoOsevelt's trip through the
South has been all he could wish it.
He has had ovation after ovation, he
has been cheered all along the line, be
has stood at the statues of Lee and
StoLewall Jackson, he has shaken hands
with Mrs. StOnewall Jackson, he has
been surrounded by Confederates and
their children, i'll such numbers as
might contaminate the ordinary
Northern man, he has talked to white
people and black people, he has been
to tue Booker Washington college, be
has braved the yellow fever, and above
all has visited the birthplace of his
mother at Roswell, Ga. One State be
has not noticed particularly, and that
is Mississippi. This is accounted for
by the fact that Gov. Vardaman of
that State is not an admirer of Mr..
Roosevelt and has peculiar ideas about
the negro, and has had the fOrtitude to
express them. Mr.. Roosevelt would
not speak in Mississippi for these rea-
sons. Whether Mr.. Vardaman will be
bulldosed into submission or better
manners by this display of "royal"
temper we are not advised.
Now what can this trip mean !?
Many have asked the question, none
have answered it. Ostensibly the trip
was intended as finishing of the
round of States by the President; be
had visited all the other States in the
Union since his presidency save these.
Now he has visited all. His mothers
birthplace was an incident, it was on
the line of his travels.
Ostensibly, we said, the trip was for
the above purpose, really there was
more, really there is desire, we can
didly believe, on the part of the pres
ident to succeed himself, not as if he
sought the office, but because the peo-
pie will call him, and who can resist
the call of the people? Mr.. Roosevelt
is really the only man who has yet
appeared upon the American stage who
we believe would accept q crown if
rendered him. be is the only man who
strikes us as willing to inaugurate a
coup d'etdt. He has no apparent rea-
son TO make himself more popular, he
has three years before him In which to
work out the problems confronting the
Nation, why then should be seek pub
lie applause and bow to encores unless
he sees more in the future? There
must be something behind it all, he
must be looking to additional honOrs
from the people, additional power and
place, and these can be given in no
Office or position below the one be now
occupies; he must therefore be looking
again to it, or one higher and mightier.
We find Mr.. Roosevelt's old friends
leaving him and new ones gathering
about him; we find the people crowd
ing around him and the trust mag
mates and corporate creOsusses fleeing
as if for their lives. Whom will be
serve, will 1t be God or Mammon?
All remember the anthracite coal
strike Of few years ago. He walked up
took the capitalists by the throat and
said this thing must stop, land imme.
diately there was a great calm" He
had nothing to do with the strike as
president. it was entirely outside of his
duties, but be laid hold of it and the
dragon fled.
For fifty years or more, indeed since |
the days of Jefferson, was there seen
to be demand for a canal across the
Isthmus of Panama. For thirty years
the subject has been an absorbing one.
France tried to build it, and failed. /
Our people advocated it, but the great
railways nullilied every
effort. Mr.. Roosevelt laid his hands
upon this corpse and Immediately it's
vestments of the tomb fell away, and
e came forth living Eelng.
When war was raging even in distant
Asia, and blood was pouring out as
'lvers, Mr.. Roosevelt entered the
arena, and threw himself between the
and said, "why should
here not be peace ?" A parley fol
owed. negotiations began. and when
hey were on the verge Of failure he
the way, made peace posi-
Die, and at last it became fact.
These three acts of themselves are
more than have been accomplished by
most men, but he has laid out other
york. Many say he will weaken, that
le will not accomplish the ends, and t
the people await the results. {
congress will soon be in session, there
ill be war to the knife and the knife
} the hilt between the President and
ne Senate, unless he weakens, sand q