Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-17
is ROOSEVELT GETTING READY
TO HEDGE?

TO HEDGE?
One or twice there have been state
mcnts in tho newspapers which have
had the carmarks of official inspiration
behind them ana which hnvc caused
the people to believe that Roosevelt
was beginning to hedge on his dccla-
ration that he would not under any
conditions be n candidate for the
presidency mt the next national cleo.
ton, but yesterdays New York Her
add which, though not regarded as
an official administration organ has
way of securing inside Washington
ncws that no other paper seems to
be able To get. is out with the dccn.
ration that Roosevelt will he forced
To run because his enemies will com.
pei him to do so. The situation is
sized up in one paragraph of the Her
aids story. 1t follows: "Thcrc is
only one possible contingency under
which President Roosevelt would be.
come candidate for reelection. That
Is continuance of the assaults that
are being made on him by financial
influences displcased with his poll
cics."
Tho Herald goes on to say: Some
of these men. and the newspapers
that sneak of them. are limiting that
the President Is adhcring TO his dc.
claration not to be candidate for tho
Allies that he cannot he rcnominatcd
and that If he were rcnominatcd he
could not be reelected. This sort of
talk, If PERSISTED in long enough, will
in the opinion OF some of the most
intimate friends of the President,
force him into the fight. The con
slant repetition Of stories that the Pre-.
sident has lost his influence. that the
country Is turning from his policies
ana that he is getting out OF Office
because of his loss OF popularity, is
said By friends of the administration
TO be the surcst way Of getting Mr..
Roosevelt iii the contest of 1905.
Which, of course, all means that
Roosevelt will forget, when the proper
time comes, his positive assertion
made on the night of the last prcsi.
DENTAL election that under no cir
cumstances would he ever again run
for the Office of president AT that
time he said that he had been vindi.
Gated and that he was no longer an
accident Roosevelt uuiIJ h,,,,,,..,, |
ma running for the presidency in
1908 far different matter from run.
ming for the same Office in 1904. The
Roosevelt of then and the Roosevelt
of now are two different people i'm tho
estimation OF the people. The stcrl.
ing qualities and rugged honesty OIL
purpose which the people so much |
admired then have been greatly dim |
inished by some of his actions and
ny the revelations which have been
made the past year. The constant
use of the word liar to nearly every
body that has differed with him has
not added 10 the popularity of koos.
Veit' any more than have the disclo-
sures regarding the corruption fund
during the last stages of the last pre-.
sidential election. He has eternallv p,
preached good citizenship, bur every
once in a while there crops out some
thing that proves that the President
Is IKE the preacher who admolished
MS congregation to do what he told
them to do and moi ~ ,,ai,o ~; ,,s
their example. His position on the ques
toh OF States rights has not been re.
ceived with disfavor in the South
as we'll
Perhaps RooseveIts enemies Will
drive him to take the nomination