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

ne means TO stay ana XIII lllelll. liz
is not simply to scotch the snake, anc
then make way for some successor
whose feeble heel will be weaker thar
the serpent's head.
1t is because l deem highly of Mr.
Roosevelt that l am bound to quarrel
with his determination not to have
another term. 1t is for such reason
| warn the public that its rights are
paramount, and he must continue
should it so prefer. Also that, in
coming to such preference, the public
is not to regard what he may person
ally desire.
Mr.. Roosevelt is the President fol
the hour in which we live. He is
abreast of his day: he was born in the
present tense. His war-word is "Be
ready" He has initiative. An artist
of the actual, he is as capable of max
ing as of following precedent. He
listens to the people. He makes a
cult of the ballot, knowing it for the
sword and shield Of freedom. He is
strong, and therefore not furtive:
honest, and by consequence without
secrets. He cares nothing for money;
his hunger is for fame. He would
sooner have d fair name than a fat
bank account. He has learned to
answer the question that the public
asks More and best, his motive is
noble and high.
WHY THE SENATE FOUGHT FOR SEA
| LEVEL"
| Recently, with twenty-seven thou
sand workmen on the Isthmus wait
ing that decision, the Senate gave its
reluctant finding. 1t was for 'lock'
the Roosevelt plan.
| Observe. Those "sea-levep Sena-
tors were not for "sea-level," but de-
lay. Take Mr. Roosevelt from the
| White House, and what should you
expect? The canal-it does not. by
the word of Mr.. ShontS, look for COM
pletion prior to l9l4-will then re-
quire five more years before it may
call itself complete. And oh! what
marvels of procrastination, given five
years wherein to perform, can be
worked by those scheming railroad
ers! There will be refusa!s to appro-
| pirate: there will be committees OF
Investigations; there will be those hun
dred and one manoeuvers known TO
balky legislators when it is their pur-
pose to check the progress OF events.
Mark the word and the warning!
These and more will you have should
Mr.. Roosevelt lay down his Presi-
dency in 1909.
| Who, on the roster of the probable,
might follow Mr.. Roosevelt at the
| White House? OF whom have we
been told? The roll is not long. Mr..
Root, Mr.. Taft, Mr.. Fairbanks, Mr..
Cannon, Mr.. Hearst, Mr.. Gaynor, Mr..
Bryan, Mr.. Bailey-there is the list,
four from each party. When one
remembers the call of the hour, is
there one among them of whom the
world is sure? Who has the heart
and the head and the hand? Who
can be counted on to take up and
fairly finish what Mr.. Roosevelt has
begun?
THE MAN THAT'S SURE.
My best Judgment retorts that the
strongest among them couldn't if he
| would the weakest wouldn't If he
| could. We're l business manager of
the nation I'd have none Of them.
One and all they may be Of that stark
tim Der from which Presidents should
be carved, but their pasts-so far as
they have pasts-offer no guarantee.
And so one harks back to Mr..
Roosevelt-to the man that's sure.
The arguments for his selection are
manifold and not to be denied. The
politicians do not want him; the rail
roads do not want him; the Trusts do
not want him; the bribe giver and
the taker do not want him; all OF
those blackly venal influences that,
for unchecked years, have been defy
ing law, and buying prosecutors, and
choosing judges, and stealing from
the people, do not want him. Where
fore, stripped public, wise to its
plundered generation and what fur
| ther pillage threatens it, should re-
fuse to give him up.
The people made Mr.. Roosevelt
President; they may if they will
make him President again. BY the
word of the people he came from the
people, and, until the people give him
leave, he cannot lay down his trust.
Even sectionalism demands him for
its wiping out; and a South, seeking
to forget the old, striving to overtake
the new, sees it's hope in him who,
coming up since the smoke-blown
years of Civil War, takes half his
blood from those who fought under
the Stars and Bars.
Therefore, oh people! should you
want Mr.. Roosevelt, it is yours to
have him, with none to consult or
consider save yourselves. Also of
this be sure: 1t is a matter wherein
he has no voice. Whether he shall
serve another term or no is for the
public, not him, to determine. In
truth, he is not entitled to SO much
as seat in the gallery while tine
business is being discussed. The