The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-10-20
By WILLIS j. ABBOT.

By WILLIS j. ABBOT
Three possible candidates for the
Republican presidential nomination are
travelling about the face of this earth
at publiczeXpense Mr. Roosevelt after
a triumphant progress down the Mis-
siSsippi river plunged into the ca a.
brakes of Louisiana in search of he. !.
Secretary Root is in Mexico exchaua.-
ing courtesies with President DaZ.
whose cleverness in getting himself re-
nominated for term after term may
possibly have afforded certain sugges-
tons to President Roosevelt; Mr.. Taft
after visiting Japan is in Mania
Sometimes one wonders what we could
do with the Philippines if we did not
have Taft to send over there every six
months to placate their peoples also
it's worth considering what we could
do with> Taft if we did not have dis
tant colonial possessions to which he
might be sent AS secretary OF war he
is known least in the big building of
French architectural design to the
north of the White House which har-
borS his Office. These three distin-
guished candidates for the presiden
travel at public expense. There are
others whose work in awakening pub
lie sentiment in either their own be
half or in support of the doctrines in
which they believe must be paid for
out OF their own pockets or through
their own earnings. Curiously enough.
there is a tendency on the part of the
American press to ridicuIe the public
man who does this and to bow down
in worship before the one who has the
keys of the treasury.
For example, let us take Senator La
Toilette. He is not rich man TO
his needs the treasury is not Open eli
Their by specific appropriation, as in the
case of the president, or by a con
tingent fund, as in that of the secre-
tary of war or the secretary of state
But he believes that he has mission
He holds that he has a doctrine to
preach which will be for the good Of
his party. and OF the people Of the Unit
ed States 1t SO happens that today
message must deliver it personally to
The pebple-that is to say, he must
travel and address those whom he de-
sires to influence. The pressure of
news upon the newspapers is too great
SO many men are striving to influence
their fellows by speeches that the press
is inadequate to give to its readers all
DSnk "a fn ha q
said Even the presidents speeches.
which have naturally the greatest
) news value, have been printed in full
in but few newspapers. What Mr.. La
Toilette might have to say. or on the
Democratic side what Mr. Bryan might
have to say, will inevitably have to be
stcut down. and not always cut with
friendly intent. So it becomes neees-
sary. for these gentlemen, one on the
Republican, and one on the Democrat
ic side. to go out and speak to the peo
pie and in SO doing earn the money
necessary to pay the expenses OF theii
iourneyings. They might do it by be-
coming trust lawyers They prefer to
do it by lecturing for price, thereby
accepting no obligation to any corpora
ton or to any individual. | happen
to know of Senator La Toilette that
while his income from his lectures IS
large he devotes most of it to the sup
port OF the political organization III
4 Wisconsin with which he is trying t"
fight political and commercial corrup-
uOn. happen also to know OF Mr.
Bryan that the greater part of his earn,
! ings is devoted to the advancement OF
the cause for which he and his friends
stand.
When you come to think of 1t. Is II
not better that men striving to make Il
fight for what they believe right.
whether they happen to be Republican
or Democrat. should carry on fheIf
struggle without cost to the taxpayers
or without appeal to the monopolIstif
corporations? And, if SO, is there leit
any excuse for the shallow carping OF
!. newspaper critics against the men who
i lecture at Chautauquas or write maga
zine articles for their own support
while they are pleading the pnDlic
cause?
;Ss Elihu Root as Candidate.
a Many OF the newspapers are fnii 81
tie magnificence of Elihu Roots enter
tainment In Mexico. They discern ~
B Hin visit there new bond of intimacy
between Mexico and the United States.
Indeed, every time cabinet cfficer OF
this administration goes to any foreign
ountry he is supposed to have &C.
B tented a few new bonds. Mr. Root.
Etowever. seems to have been an ex-
jert on bonds of a different sort FOR
iome time the public service eommis-
hon of New York has been engaged
- Investigating the affairs of the Met
ppolitan Traction company. a concern
which, with the richest territory In tue
Rorld to draw FROM has been allowed
- 20 into the hands of receiver ne
dications are that millions have been
Ned by The promoters of the various
tails which ended in the creation OF