Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-10-09
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 100
BIGGER THAN PARTY MAN

AS an indication of the wonder
full change in sentiment among the
American people in regard to party
feeling, the following editorial
from the St. Paul Dispatch, hither-
to rabidly republican, will make
very interesting reading:
That the democrats of Mime
sofa consider that Gov. johnson is
not a democrat is decidedly the
greatest compliment which has
been paid the governor, not forget
ting columns in Harper's Weekly,
pages in the American magazine and
the literal linear miles of favora-
bic comment which have been print
ed from Portland to Portland.
A democratic meeting was held in
St. Paul just day ago, held very
quiet ly as becomes those who are of
the orthodox faith, those who are
Of the inner Circle of the Sanhed-
rim. And these men have decided
against Gov. johnson because he is
not democrat, and in favor Of Mr..
Bryan because he is a democrat.
We do not believe Mr.. Johnson
is a democrat, it by "democrat'
is meant the kind who are playing
this trick against him this early in
the game Of choosing candidates.
And no man in either party, big
enough to be president Of the Uni
ted States, is small enough to be
what is technically, according to
measul ements of the machine,
known as a democrat, as republic
an. In fact, no man in the state
of Minnesota is big enough to be
governor if he is merely a democrat,
a republican. The time for that
has passed, in the state we hope, in
the nation we know.
Gov. johnson was elected by the
people of Minnesota. That was he
most self-evident fact about his ma
jority of 10000. And he was not
elected as strict party man, or he
could not have commanded that ma
jority in this republican state. He
was elected because he was Min
nesotan; not only born in the state,
but pledged to it's best interests by
his entire disposition; not the slave
of his party but the servant Of his
constituents, the people. It was
the same influence which made Mr..
Roosevelt president, and if the
democrats want to win they will
have to select a man who is of just
the stuff Johnson is made of, a very
different stuff from party material
dyed in the wool.
No man is big enough to be pres
ident in this United States who is
small enough to be known as dem
ocrat, republican. Mr.. Roosevelt
has changed all that. He is the
most popular man in America since
Lincoln, and the most popular pres
ident. He is the first man elected
absolutely because he is not party
man but is a fit man to be president
Of the people. 1t was left for
Roosevelt thru his popularity and
thru his personality, to make it i'm
possible for a man to become presi-
dent who is merely a party man.
Roosevelt is not a republican. You
will hear those antagonistic to him
in his own party attempt to damn
him in this high Roman fashion,
just as those Minnesota democrats
declare that johnson is not demo-
crat. But Roosevelt is the presi-
dent of his people, elected by these
people, and the people are his con-
stituents, the American people, not
the republican party. When Mr..
Roosevelt became president he
found a few good democrats in
office, and he left them there. At
ter he became president he was be-
sought by many senators to place
certain republicans IN ONCE, ana
Mr.. Roosevelt refused to appoint
these men when he found that tho
they were republicans, *'good re-
publicans, 90 they we're not good
men. No, Roosevelt is not a re-
publican if that means subservience
to party. The democrats even COM
plain that he takes their ammuni-
tion, that he has found them in
bathing and run away with their
clothes.' But Roosevelt does not
care. If the policy is good for the
country that policy is good enough
for him, he it democratic or repub-
lican. And no man can be elected
president who is afraid of the poll
cies of the other party. like Forak.
err, like Bryan. And no party car
elect it's man president if it nomin.
ates man because he is "demo.
crat," a republican," That day
is past.
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