The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-11-24
REPUBLIC OR EMPIRE
Time For Voters to Determine
Which They Want.
QUESTION OF iMPERIALIsM

People of the United States Face to
Face With Serious ProbIem-Tne
Financial Situation-VoIume of Cir
culatins Medium Too SmalI-Elec-
TONS Aftermath.
By WILLIS j. ABBOT.
What is to be done in Washington in
the way of politics is a matter now of
political discussion and a matter o!
very great doubt. The president has.
of course, control of the situation But
what the president is going to do must
be determined by the men who are
back of him and with whom he joins.
He has been beaten in all the. vital
elections in states which he thought
be could control. He was beaten ir
Ohio, in New York and in Kentucky
Men are claiming that he Won in Ken
lucky, but as matter Of fact he lost
The Kentucky success was not pres
idential success, but purely local vic
tory, largely due 70 local interests. The
Roosevelt papers are insisting that the
result Of the elections was an ap
prevail for the administration Nobody
knows better than Mr. Roosevelt him
self that this is absolutely untrue.
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Bryan.
Nobody will question Mr.. Roosevelt's
popularity before the people. The last
man to question it would be Mr. Bry-
ance with both of these gentlemen
have never heard Bryan say one word
of criticism of Mr.. Roosevelt, nor have
had occasion to listen to one word of
hostility to Mr.. Bryan expressed 10y
the president This does not mean
that they are absolutely friendly in
politics. have listened to Mr.. Roose-
welt when he explained to me that MI
Bryan was not dangerous man, but
was not wise man. What Mr.. Bryan
thinks of the president do not know.
When Mr.. Roosevelt makes up his
mind as to whether he will be once
more a candidate, whether, unlike
George Washington and Thomas def
ferson, he is willing to stand for a
third term, there may be some things
said concerning him. 1t is quite up to
him to make this determination, and
when made he must not object to what
may be said.
Can II Be King Roosevelt?
Two or three days ago lecturer in
he law department of the University
6 Michigan, one Professor Drake. said
n iv al hot in
Roosevelt should be made king. The
class laughed, thinking that he was
talking satirically or at least humor
.Ously He assured the class that he
was speaking seriously. Here in Wash
ington have heard at least twice mel
who were not strongly for Mr.. Roose
welt and whose politics | did not know
say to me that they thought the Unit
ed States needed "A king and that there
could be no better man for that impe
rial position. | am but one of many
people interested in public affairs, bu'
" 1t seems to me that if have had -four
or five men talk to me about making
Mr.. Roosevelt King or emperor III.
same suggestion must have been made
to great many hundred other people
In 1900 the Democrats urged tha
the question of Imperialism was COINS
to become very serious one. At tina
time the Democratic party did not fea'
Imperialism at home, but it did feal
that it would be established in ell
foreign territories and might ultimate
" come here Today the people are
face to face with the question of i'm
perialism in the United States. Ii J.
not matter to pass over wlth
laugh. When prominent men dare t.
stand up before college classes and as
eert that they would rather see KIN:
than a president it is time for pro
test. 1t is high time that the voter
of this country should deternsn'
whether they want republic or
monarchy, democracy or an empire
The Financial Situation.
The difficulties of the New heri
hanks last week have resulted In Yer.
serious troubles for western banks
Hut. as matter Of fact. the difficult.
arises in Washington, proceeds to New
York and finally makes grave troubh
In the west. l was told today by 4
Washington banker that he dared no
eive a draft on southwestern bank
His own bank is perfectly solvent
The bank upon which his custome
desired to draw is equally solvent. ou
Ne doubted whether there was curren
ny enough in that section to enabl
Ahe immediate payment OF the draf'
The man who asked for the draft Il
man OF national reputation. While no
hfch, he Is in very comfortable circum
tances. He was not asking Tor III
money to hoard or to speculate. bu
- could not get any assurance ina
would be paid. This shows VIVA
fhe present state of the currency OF th
kited States is. Some years ago IN
emocratic party asked that the Gil
<ulating medium should be Increases
s&v coming silver. 1t was not done