Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-11-27
PRESIDENTIAL POPULARITY.

, DAY Dy uay as tne termination Oh ul'
official life draws near,
Every day that brings President
Roosevelt nearer to the 4th of March
1909, when his term of Office expires
should, according to this rule, witness
decline in his influence over National
affairs. Congress has immense re-
spect for President whose term OF
Office is beginning, who has just re-
ceived from the people a positive proof
of their confidence and who has be.
fore him four years of power and pa.
tronage. But 1t does not pay the same
attention to a President whose term
is about to expire and who is about
to return to private life.
There has been indications, how
ever, that President Roosevelt might
possibly escape this fate of Presi-
dents, although he. himself. as n close
student of history, has anticipated that
fate. His amazing popularity had
seemed to grow steadily through six
years of his administration and never
did he appear so strong as when he
was about to enter upon the last full
year Of his official life. He had a
power greater than that Of his Office
and patronage, power which came
TO ctr xtsith Il A
few weeks ago ii looked as if the OPP.
position to Roosevelt had broken
down Important Wall Street interests
which have been eager to defeat and
humiliate his administration, threw up
their hands in despair and declared
that it would be impossible to prevent
Roosevcltism from projecting Itself
over four years more of American poll
tics either by the election OF Roose
welt himself to a third term. or by the
election of some one chosen by him
to succeed himself,
But events move rapidly in the Uni.
leu OltltS' ouuuCll NHdllSCS NdhS pItiN'
in politics and IN business and four
weeks Of panic have seemed to change
the political outlook in considerable
degree Now it is said that Roosevelt
must bear the blame Of the financial
disturbance and that the closing of
factories. the discharge Of workmen,
and the decline i'm trade will all be at !
tributed to him. His enemies are be.
oming more aggressive. They declare |
that his star is descending that his |
day is passing Never before in all |
his political career has Roosevelt been |
subjected to the same degree of dc.
as he Is al the present |
time. Even an Associate Justice Of |
the Supreme Court Of the United
States publicly charges him with play !
ing hide and seek with the American |
people" The Ex-senator who Is com |
monty esteemed as the best COnstItu |
tional lawyer In the country practical. |
~ accuses him OF violating or twisting |
the constitution, Countless business |
men are charging him with having |
destroyed confidence and producing |
trade depression Newspapers TEEN |
with criticism and accusing cartoons.
and one persistent editorial enemy |
goes so far as 70 speak Of th" Illus
trious occupant Of the Whit" House |
as IAN imperial dcad.h"at' The col.
umns OF American journalism during |
the past century may b" searched In |
vain for the equal OF this degrading |
eplthet hurled at a President Of ID" |
United states
Now this certainly looks bad FOR
Roosevelt. but It would be- well not to
be too hasty in forming cOnclu lou-
II In FIVE weeks time there can Do |
such change a. this in Mr. koo""
yelt's position. what may not tab"
place In another five weeks And If |
should be remembered that ~" Pre- I
dent has AZ least rs" months In which !
10 regain any popularity or political
ascrndcncv which he ma" has" lost
by reason az the financial panic There
Is danger Of jumping n orr"uc"u- CON
clusiont II mas D." that o." country
viii not hold the President respou slhlc |