The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-03

the idea of his being a candidate ,
for the nomination.
The Star takes no stock in the |
talk about Mr. Roosevelt being able |
to break the solid democratic south |
with Mr.. Bryan as his opponent, and |
by way of sustaining its position,
points to the great popularity or
President Mckinley in the southern
states just after the war with Spain,
and still he was not able TO defeat
the democratic nominee in a single
one of them. 1t points to the mani
festation in Cleveland over the de-
feat of the presidents candidate for
mayor of that city by Mr.. johnson
and to the sagging of the Taft boom
because of the Roosevelt weight;
also to the situation in New York
where men pretending to act by au-
thority are making war on Governor
| Hughes and creating divisions in the
party of that pivotal state.
| Furthermore, The Star does not
take any stock in the presidents de-
| liverance on the subject Of govern
| ment officials pledged to him attend
! ing conventions.
The article on the whole is very
| significant one, and from it's authori-
| tative source, may be taken as an
| indication of the waning popularity
| of Mr. Roosevelt, or rather as evil
dence of increased opposition within
his party to the idea Of his renom-
ination or to his being allowed to
dictate to his party the man whom
it shall choose to be his successor
in the high office of president should
his party be successful at the polls
1t is an evidence of reputation of
boss-rule and one-man-poWer in the
party, according to The Star; still,
we think that paper in going so far,
has misjudged the popularity of Mr..
Roosevelt among the masses of the
people. In it's editorial it says:
The presidents deliverance on the
subject Of federal officials and the
third term movement does not
touch the larger aspects OF the case.
| 1t will not even accomplish the limit
ed ends it would appear to cover.
Federal officials, earger for the presl-
dents nomination and anxious to pro-
mote il, need not openly advocate the
cause or ask for instructions in his
favor as delegates to the republican
national convention. II he does not
? take himself out of the calculation
before convention time. all they Will
have to do to aid in the consumma-
ton Of the third term project is to
, get themselves elected delegates tC
that body. The rest will be easy
With the president, at that time a
5 possibility, a shout in his behalf in
, | the convention hall will give them
their cue, and if the convention can
=. | be stanpeded for him they will be
- on hand to help it along.
:, Mr. Roosevelt owes it to himself
to his party and to the country to GO
far beyond this. He should make II
}. | absolutely impossible for any man.
- | in office or out-a purfervid republi-
| can, or democrat disgruntled by
: Bryanisn-to make further mention
of his name i'll connection with neX'
years republican leadership. He
| should speak so as all men would un-
derstand, and no man dare disobey
Instead of putting the matter on the
X easy elevation of ''impropriety and
courtesy" he should put it on the
sheer height of an affront to him
a For that is what the matter, in its
+ proper analysis, amounts to.
But more than this. NJ. Roosevelt
8 should, definitely and at once, dis
:. connect his name and the influence
:, of his office from all boor1s. He car
as little afford to undertake to name
e his successor as to run again himself
q His party is fully able to choose it
o leader and is impatient of White
house direction in the premises. Lool
e | at the manifestation a Cleveland
: ! where Mr.. Burton, wearing an ad
-. ministratiOn tag. met a Waterloo
Look at the Taft boom sagging be
t. cause Of the administrators weight
6 Look at the situation in New York
. where men pretending to act by au
thority are making war on Governor
e Hughes, and creating diversions which
G may rival those that marked the ole
stalwart and half1breed days in tha
/ important and pivotal state, and which
d ended in the republican disaster O.
q 1884.
This business is not without it
l. specious pleas and representations
r No man. we are told, may Withstand
q the commands of the country. If th'
country calls Mr.. Roosevelt he mus
d | Obev Certainly. That is to be ad
e mitted readily. But what sort of cal
is that which is being drilled like {
- dramatic mob, or an Optratic chorus
: by experts, and in defiance Of the pres
n | dents plain announcement on election
night three years ago.
i Then there is that old tongue-wor1
. blather about Mr.. Roosevelt and thu
IS south. Let him run again. we ar
G ! told and states which have not beer
republican since reconstruction day
T. will vote for him. No republican wa
l. ever as popular in the south as Mr.
% Mckinley. At the close of the wa
y with Spain the south, in her pulpit
l. and in her newspapers, paid him tn
heartiest tributes for the broad ant
patriotic spirit he had manifested IL
the conduct of hostilitias. But tn
next year she voted for Mr.. Bryan
again without a hobble. Mr.. Rcose
" Welt couldn't life the !ecoral votes o
> any one of the lower southern state