The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-03-25
Drift of Comment
PROGRESS OR REACTION7

A pessimist who Is also oeep
thinker and an observer OF events
recently said that the United
States has come to fork in the
road. One prong leads to anarchy
and the other to Imperialism. he
might have added that on the
other side of anarchy, also lies q
reorganization in blood that viii
mean Imperialism.
The danger of Imperialism lies IN
the widespread call for President
Roosevelt to accept q third term
Mr.. Roosevelt would not be an EN-
pewr Though, he would doubtless
like very much to be one Bu'
the precedent OF his third tern
would be the thin edge OF
wedge that could easily lead to
other third terms-then to the
election of presidents for terms
of more than four ears-and then
finally, one OF them would remain
for life, and the evolution Of retro
gression of this republic to mon
arohy would be accomplished.
The conditions that have resulted
in call upon Mr.. Roosevelt Ia
accept another term, if left un-
checked tend to draw the govern.
ment toward an ultimate change
just as surely, though by a more
circuitous route.
Cmpo. ations and their despot.
ism have been checked! not stop
ped. There are reactionary candi'
dates for president in the Republic
can party in many states OF the
union. The powerful moneyed anf
industrial interests which have
recently felt the lash of the law
or heard its sharp hiss close t
their ears, are writing under th'
temporary restraint that has beer
imposed upon them. Capitalists
are working for return to thu
lawless conditions which made then
and under which they were happ.
and prosperous.
The election of an anti-Roose
velt president in 1908 would pu
the corporations in the saddle agail
1t would meal more contribution
to Republican campaign funds OF
the part Of law breaking corpora
tions, who would thus be buyini
protection from the law and i'm
munity from justice. 1t would b
the hardest blow the people coul'
possibly receive, and it would b
all the harder because of the tenn
porary relief from corporation op
preston which they have been en-
joying, and the temporary restora
tion of their rights which the,
have had during the past fe,
years.
Once restored to be the "powe
behind the throne" at Washington
the big fellows would take ever
precaution to preent reourIenc
of such unpleasant interference a
they have suffered under the pres
ent administration. Condition
would go from bad to worse, an
finally there would a. revolution
OF the people in all the sense tha
accompanies the word with shud
der when applied to France.
All this is Of necessity connect
ed with the future, though not tn
immediate future. The slack will
net be taken cut Of present condi
tions Of comparative ease for tn
rrasses until the United State
have been settled and populate,
throughout, until the country has
large enough population to caus
the resources OF the country TO b
Immediately consumed.
Then look out! ~
At least once ayear since Wilkes
Booth assassinated President Lincol,
and was shot to death by q part.
that was trying to catch him. stor
les have gone the rounds to til,
effect that he was not really dead
that It was somebody else who wa
killede and that he made his escap
and lived to ripe old age. and fs'
lon and SO forth.
Or, 1t may be that the story ha
been varied little. Some one ha.
dug up his skull down on the Po
tcmac, or 1t has been discovered
IL museum, or 1t had been learne,
that the body was cremated, or som,
thing else.
Recently a story was printed II
the Eastern papers to the effect tina
Booths body had been taken In
gunny sack on board the steamer
Montauk. and sunk In the Potomac
river many miles below Washington
The story seemed 10 authentic tina
| Il called forth . lettas from sen