Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-22
TALKING THIRD TERM
Americans Abroad All Argu-
ing.
ACTOR EXCITES BRYANlTE
Roosevelt's Opponents Think He'll
Take Nomination.
HOT CRITICISM OF AMERICANS
London Papers Attack Alleged Apathy
of Citizens in Their NM
nicipal Affairs.
lot CRITICISM OF AMERICANS

| Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, September 21.-When Amer-
can tourists get together in hotel smoking
rooms trains and cafes in England and on
| the continent their talk usually is of their
experiences in travelling. They compare
notes. where they have been. what they
have done and how they have been done.
That has been the rule ever since Amerl-
cans began TO Invade Europe, from June to
October. This year 1t has been entireiy
different They don't swap stories. they
don't indulge in heart-to-heart condolences
about the national characteristics of Eng
lishmen or their adventures In Paris.
One subject alone absorbs their attention,
and that is the presidential succession In
America. 1t would not be a matter or
| much significance If one heard occasional
| warm arguments here and there upon this
absorbing topic, but 1t is the same thing
| wherever Americans congregate. ana this
| is pretty much everywhere in European
| capitals for the past few weeks. Even
| women at Bloomsbury boarding house ia
| bles discuss it. when not talking dresses.
| The Savoy Hotel smoking room any even
| ing Is like the glcrifed New England cor
ner grocery the eve Of a presidential
election. Moreover. 1t Is not casual aca-
demic arguments hears, but high
pitched. excited voices full of heat and
often of passion. The newcomer usually
! smiles at first at the excitement of the dis
putes. but within few minutes he Is as
hot the others. 1t is not safe to speak
too disparagngly of any candidate In these
mixed discussions.
Crane Excites a Bryanite.
Thus William Crane. after a surfeit Of
the same sort of thing all over the con-
tinent, strolled UP to an excited group in
the Savoy last night just as somebody re-
marked: What about Bryan Crane. be-
ing comedian. tried to make things pleas
ant by remarking: Bryan? Why, he's the
joke of American politics"
'Whoop." yelled a Bryanite. springing
to his feet with eyes cleaning and face
flushed The man who says that has got
to take the floor with me- and he peeled
off his coat ready for business Crane
managed to explain that he was only jok-
ing. but Bryan's champion did not half be-
lieve him.
Many and many times. in similar dis
cussions. friendships have been strained or
broken, and not infrequently Intervention
has been necessary to avert violence.
Inc ciliel point Oh OiSCuSSlOH IN All TINS
argument of course. IS whether Roose-
Welt will be the republican candidate. It
would be hopeless to attempt to analyze
or draw conclusions from the divergent
views expressed. There is only one curl
Gus general feature which might be noted
The men opposed to Roosevelt seem in
Clined to believe. for the most part that
he will be nominated, will accept and
will be elected.
They credit him with being the most as
tute politician who was ever an occupant
OF the White House They argue that he
| is creating a situation which must compel
the republican party to make him its candi-
date. They admit, usually with some ex
preston of regret. that his hold on the
masses of the country is so great that it
will be impossible to defeat him Many
men who express this view were former
supporters of the President They give
various reasons for their change of atti-
tude. but In general terms they criticise
his record for the past year. and especially
emphasize the great damage TO American
reputation and American trade abroad.
which no American in Europe this year
can fail to and feel. Nothing else of
significance can be deduced from this
traordinary feature of the American season
in Europe beyond the fact that, If the att-
tude of travellers is any Indication of public
feeling at home. then the hottest national
campaign In the countrys history Is al
ready under way.
Shorter and Uglier Word"
reporter of The Star, witnessing the
departure OF an American special train for
Southampton this morning. caught this
scrap as the train pulled out:
II tell you it's Roosevelt
IF he accepts he's liar"
II tell YOU and then the disputants
passed out of hearing. to continue the ar
>gument all the way to New York.
American affairs again the subject of
severe criticism by the English press today,
tI,n 1~e;,ar To- %
ruption. The chief point raised is the lack
of sense of civic duty on the part Of an
otherwise honest population. Thus, the
Times says: The general state of American
feeling with regard to these and similar dis
closures prese hts a curious ethical problem
to impartial observers. The great middle
class In the states Is probably not surpassed
in honesty and business integrity by any
people in the world. and II seems very re-
markable to outside spectators that they
should submit 70 leave their public business
IN the hands of notorious rogues. and not
only to watch the growing Accommodations of
wealth by such persons, but even 10 take a
certain pride in the magnitude of these
Accommodations. and in the ostentation with
which. in many instances. they are dis
played.
Every inhabitant of those American
cities must be perfectly we'll aware that he
pays more than he ought to pay for every
one of the ordinary accomplishments Of
urban civiliZation-roads. water. light. pro-
lection OF life and property-and that all
these necessaries. besides being supplied at
exorbtant rates, are. rule. very bad of
their kind
Every American knows that Illicit prof
its upon municipal management Illicit
enha ncement of the price of commodities of
commercial necessity are the origins and
foundations of most of the colossal for
tunes to which he points with a certain
degree of pride. though they often. consti-
tute in reality not only a national disgrace,
but a national danger"
The Globe. in a similar vein. concludes ::
1T appears truly extraordinary to outsid-
ers that in spite OF all the force of charac-
ter of the American he permits and almost
encourages frauds from his purse and blots
upon the national good name"