Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-08-02
AGAIN INCONSISTENT.

1t seems impossible Tor tne DehlO-
cratic party to be consistent on either
State or National issues. The press OF
that party is now loud in its disapproval
of the declaration of the Republican
National Congressional Committee in
favor of making Theodore ROosevelts
personality central figure and his
achievements central thought in the
present Congressional campaign.
Our friends, the enemy, forget, or
they think the people have forgotten,
that two years ago the Democratic press
and speakers persistently held that there
was but one live issue in the Presiden-
tial campaign, and that was Roosevelt
and Rooseveltism.
He was constantly pronounced a
dangerous man, with "big stick "
which he would proceed to use on other
nations and his own people for enforc-
ing his insane personal theories of state
craft. They claimed that if he was
again elected President he would not
only disturb the peace of the world, but
that he would become the champion of
domestic policies that would be ser
iously detrimental to the best inter
ests of our people. The Democratic
cry was, "Down with Roosevelt and
Rooseveltism.
While the Republicans held that there
were issues of graver Importance, such
as continued good times and the general
economic policy of the Republican
party, they were not reluctant to JOIN
battle with the Democrats upon the Is
sue which the latter insisted should be
the chief and only one, Roosevelt and
Rooseveltism.
The results of the Presidential cam
paign in 1904 were so paralyzing to the
Democracy that they could not restore
their courage nor rally enough OF
&, their disorganzied forces to present the
semblance of strong minority organ
ization by any other process than by
claiming that the astonishing popular
majority for Theodore Roosevelt was a
tribute to his devotion for true Demo
cratic principles. Even such hide
bound Democratic newspapers as the
Richmond Times Dispatch began to
speak of him as "our Democratic Presi-
dent 1t was a common thing for
Democrats TO jeer Republicans and tell
them, "you have made a mistake and
elected Democrat, his Democracy is
good enough for US, and we want both
Democrats and Republicans. to make
him their candidate in 1908"
The Democrats also became prophetic
and declare d to the world that Mr..
Roosevelt would disrup his party by be-
coming the advocate of legislative
measures that would not receive the
united support of the Republicans in
Congress. John Sharp Williams and
other Democratic members were to
take advantage of the situation, stand
by the President and use him as a
wedge to make the desired split in the
Republican party. But Democratic
prophecy turned out to be another one of
their many "pipe dreams" Instead OF
making a split in his party, Mr.. Roose-
welt, by honest, daring statecraft,
united the Republican members of Con-
gress in support of measures that have
been made into laws that will inn
mortalize his administration. The val
liable measures championed by the Pres
ident were so popular that Democratic
Senators and members were forced, re-
luctantly, to cast their votes for Roose-
velt's policy, because they were afraid
Of the people.
Two years ago the Democrats in
sisted that Theodore Roosevelt's per-
sonality should be the issue. Now the
Republicans proclaim that Theodore
Roosevelt's personality must be cen
trail figure and his achievements cen
trail thought in the campaign" No
wonder the Democrats dread the issue,
after their experience of 1904. )