Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-07-27

| This will be in the nature or al
open letter to the people, and, pei
incident, to President Roosevelt
Following his nomination by hand
full of days, Mr.. Roosevelt announced
that he would not accept another
term. At divers times since then, by
pen and by word of mouth, he has re-
asserted such determination. AS re-
Gently as last month, in letter tt
Mr.. Conant, of Colorado, Mr.. ROose
velt-if one may believe the press
declared by his secretary that "9ou
will have to vote for some other Re
publican next time"
This resolution of Mr.. Roosevelt is
of more than passing moment The
White House is the heart of national
concern. If ever the Republic be
slain, it is there that d sinister Fate
will plant the knife. Wherefore the
people should jealousy scan whatever
is to affect that structure in it's occu-
patton, or subtract from their domi-
nant right to name it's Presidential
tenant.
1t may be regarded as automatic
that, in picking it's Presidents, the
public alone is Judge. No one may
stand at the popular elbow and direct
the popular choice. No man may say
he will, no man may say he won't be
President. Those are not questions
for the individual. The White House
is not toy. Its beStOwal should not
be looked upon in the light of a COM
pliment. 1t must not wait upon the
interest, the preference, the modesty,
the vanity, the caprice or the ease OF
any man. The argument of its in
| vention was serious-as serious as
that OF the keystone of an arch. Be
! ing called to the Presidency; one
must come. The wishes of him cal
| led are not to count.
If no public interest spoke, and one
man in the White House were as
good as another, the right or the
wrong of Mr.. Roosevelt's repeated re-
fusals to consider another term would
gain no discussion here. But some
thing beyond the barren technicality
is at bay. Step back among the years
pace or so, to the sources of what or
government moment is immediate.
President Mckinley dies; Mr.. Roose-
yelt. Vice President succeeds him.
Until his own election in 1904, Mr..
Roosevelt is rather an administrator
than a President. He proceeds, as
events arise, to do what he conceives
Mr.. Mckinley would do if he had liv-
ed to serve his term. 1t is not, speak
ing broadly, until his own Inaugural
tion. in 1905, that Mr.. Roosevelt be-
gins to guide his conduct solely by
his own lights.
The public when it called him to
the Presidency, was not without rea-
sons for the hopes within it. The
powerful forces of a malignant. pre-
datory wealth were abroad. Vast
combinations of pirate capital had
uplifted themselves, and were casting
shadow all across the land. This
pirate evil, Money, could be seen
asserting itself in the legislative and
executive branches of the Govern
ment: and even the courts were not
free of it's black influences. Might
the might of money-was becoming
| right. The public's own officers acted
as money-shepherds, to drive the
1ocks of public interest to the shear
ing sheds. 1t was a crisis, one that
demanded revolution-a revolution
not of bayonet and ball-cartridge, but
by ballot.
In working out the redemption OF
their Trust-crushed destinies, the
| people called to Mr.. Roosevelt. He
was young; but he was old in the
popular regard. The public had
known him for quarter of a century.
1t had watched him as legislator, as
civil service commissioner, as head OF
the police, as assistant secretary of
the navy, as soldier at Santiago and
San Juan, as Governor, as Vice-Presi-
dent, as President. He had under
gone test after test, and the people
possessed the measure of his courage.
his honesty, his intelligence, his
power of initiative.
! Knowing him, and knowing the
work in hand, the people made him
President. Nor had he fallen short
of general expectation. Rather he
has gone beyond, and where the peo-
pie hoped for an inch he has given
them an ell.
1t was no marvel the people de.
manded Mr.. Roosevelt. Every age,
since the morning of time, could have
used one. Politics never changes. 1t
is the same today as when Moses led
his brickmakers out of Egypt, or Wat
Tyler brought the men of Kent to
London town. Politics is only name
for that irrepressible conflict which
RACES, as it has ever ragged and will
ever rage, between property and
perishing flesh and blood-the Man
with the Dollars against the Man
with the Hands. 1t is the same two
old dogs over the same old bone, is
politics Money against Mankind