Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-11
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
AS A PARTY WRECKRR

Running a country without n king was
O new experiment Our foretathers had
70 look sharp 10 their checks and bal
nnces. One of their provisions was
against popular impulse being enacted
into law ON short notice This we have
so improved upon that it now means that
the people shall have time 20 forget
politicians prediction promises before
he is called upon 10 fulfil them.
For example, the House of Representa-
tives which was chosen year ago last
November went into session thirteen
months later. Meanwhile. we have wit
messed the fan of Port Arthur, the peace
conference, the insurance investigation,
the rise and decline Of Tom Lawson, the
Jerome triumph and the Hearst out
break, and some of us have had the
measles and the typhoid and recovered.
In the present House, the Republican
majority is so big as to be unwieldy. Its
size is due to Theodore Roosevelt. But
for bis popularity the Republicans would
have lost control of Congress. In keep
ing with that good old political tenet, III
you are good to me / will be good TO
you,' It would seem natural that all Re
publican members should be Roosevelt
men. But they are not, although they
may join in the chorus when their con-
stiiuents shout for him.
This article aims to give the "inside
view candidly. The sum of the criti-
cisms / heard in Washington / have put
in quotations for effect. The names of
my numerous authorities / do not give.
They asked me not to give them at the
same time that they asked me TO express
their opinions.
"Ihe Presidents methods are chaotic
they say Gle is demagogic and theatric.
lie is a politician. Although he is sup
posed TO be the leader of his party in
practical politics, he does not lead, and
his position is such that no one else rises
to lead. In short, he is wrecking his
party. We owe Hearstism and all other
like manifestations of political and ma
tional insecurity to the infection of his
method and his personality.
lie is personal, autocratic and incon-
siderate. The way he stands by his
friends is wholly inconsistent with the
ideals which he expresses. Witness Paul
Morton. He is wanting in the qualities
of constructive craftsmanship and
switches from one objective to another
before he arrives at the first You will
see that if he gets any rate legislation it
will be of the most attenuated order, and
that pure food, freer trade with the
Philippines, and other reforms which he
demands win never be made into law.
cleveland stands for the gold stand
ard, Mckinley for the Spanish war Not
one great accomplishment is associated
with Theodore Roosevelt's name He
viii 60 out of Office discredited, and as
President he win rank with Pierce, Buell.
anan, and Johnson" THE Democrats
add Hayes name to the list.l
All of this was surprising, not TO say
disconcerting, to one who had Just come
from abroad where he had become used
TO fluctuations on his country's good for
tune in having such great President.
When, as an outsider seeking for in
formation, l asked about Cuban reci-
procity, the settlement of the coal strike,
the peace compact, the creation of navy
of size and efficiency compatible with
our interests, the bringing of the Canal
Zone under our control and the Inaugural
ton of the work in the face of the rail-
road lobby. the improvement of our dip
lomatic and consular service, the inn
pulse TO our prestige abroad and higher
ideals at home, / was told that there
would have been peace and a big navy
and the purchase Of the Canal, anyway
As for the Canal, many Republicans
expect yet to bury the Roosevelt repu-
Triton In il. His demand for more power
was popular, and they have given him
more in the hope that he might hang
himself, and his and not the party's
would be the blame for failure. And
didn't Mckinley first propose Cuban reel.
procityl All that Roosevelt did was Ia
fight for two sessions to have it made q
law. And who passed the lawg Con.
gress. As for ideals, he has taught
Americans not to vote a straight ticket
and made room for Hearst and others
His settlement of the coal strike was
plainly unconstitutional, because every.
body knows that the coal strike was
never mentioned in the Constitution
Nothing is clearer, then, that no one par.
ticular great thing is associated with the
Presidents name. 1t is a case of many
OF none.
The average Republican looks back re.
gretfully TO Mckinley, who never scolded
you for a bad recommendation when you
ask him to appoint a man, but thanked
YOU grayely for the information an,
gravely took the matter into considera.
ton. But everybody on the "inside'
knew that Uncle Mark knew who would
get the job. Now only Roosevelt knows
and sometimes he does not make up hi.
mind till the last moment. Uncle Marx
stood 10y his friends. Witness Rathbone
Roosevelt stands by Paul Morton ant
Bishop. Uncle Mark was politician
The contention that Roosevelt is also q
politician seems to proved The point
that is made against him is that he i.
not politician according 10 Hoyle; that
he has set of rules of his own which he
revises every day TO suit his mood.
How is he wrecking the partyl Be
cause the strength of the party depends
upon his personal popularity and moi
upon the popularity of the party as
whole The average member wants e
Slime up on somebody with a view {,
that somebody's future success which
win bring him a personal reward. VIII,
Is to follow Roosevelt as leaderg Ont
day his action is construed to mean
certain man, the next day il is construe,
TO mean another. There is no one nea
enough 70 him TO be sure what be is 90
ing 70 do. Some men have thought thai
they We're, and when they found on
that they were not, if they knew a news
paper man intimately, they did a httli
knocking on their own account. Thh
Is chaos. Mckinley put his power in the
hands of Uncle Mark, and thus YOU knew
Just where he stood You were one OF
the insiders if you lined mp with incl,
Mark. Now there is no "inside."
Ii the public has had a year 10 forgeN
The prediction promises Of 1904, Their
are still eight months in which TO forge
the Congressional deeds of this winter