The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-12-13
THE PRrsrpEnr SPEAKS.

THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS.
 As our readers can testify, we have never questioned the sincerity of Pres ident Roosevelt's original statement that he would not again be candidate for the office he holds. Originally we thought that it was unkind and un- generous to attempt to force him to second statement reiterating what he had already said in clear and emphat- ic language. Since, however, the idea became more or less general that the conditions had so changed as to make possible the withdrawal of his assur- ance or voluntary pledge, it has been our belief that sooner or later he would find it necessary to set aside whatever sense of personal dignity had hitherto controlled him and silence the third term talk, This he has now done with impressive emphasis.
 We should regret to learn, however, that his second withdrawal is to be viewed from the standpoint of the conflict which is on over the selection of his successor. Some say that he has spoken because he believes that he can in that way strengthen the Taft movement. Others declare that he is moved by 8 determination to smoke out Cortelyou, who is believed to be the secret candidate of the more con- servative forces of the country who want to be rid once for all of all pollti- cal experimentalists, whether Repubn- can or Democratic. No one denies that the President is actively engaged in the self-imposed task of controlling the next Republican convention for the purpose of naming the candidate, and it is this aspect of the situation which attaches to his second announcement a disagreeable impression There is something lofty and noble in his re- nunciation of an office which fills the ambition of the most ambitious Amer ican citizen when tho motive is the preservation of a tradition which is held in high respect by the people of the nation. There is much that is dis turbing and enerva.ing in a renuncia- tion which, while originally generous in it's appreciation of what the people had done for him, can now be regard- ed as a move in political game in which the President of the United States should not take a hand
 As The Journal and Courier has said before, it is creditable in the highest degree to his sagacity that he should favor the ascendancy or Mir Taft, who is worthy of the best the American people can give him, but it is not cred- table to his sense or personal dignity that he should undertake with the vast machinery at his disposal to impose any one upon a convention supposed to be filled with men of judgment patri- otism and independence The people of the country never intended to delegate such authority to any President and never should, not but that his experi- ence in the office of President may have made him an excellent judge of what It's incumbent should be, but that the theory upon winch this country proceeds is that the government looks to its citizens to protect 1t, and not to a temporary servant. If President Roosevelt sees fit to complain because he has been placed in an embarrassing position he will eventually realize that he alone was responsible. Had he re- trained from undertaking the selection of a man of his own choice and had he desisted altogether from playing politics when he should have been concerned alone with the duties of his great office he would have suffered none of the pains which his friends say in private he has suffered from what he takes to be misunderstand- ing of his character and motive by others. If now that he has second time renounced any ambition to be President for another term he will de- vote himself exclusively to the duties of his office, avoiding unnecessary comment upon things which do not come within the zone of presidential activity and dealing at all times with his cares with dignity, he may yet take with him from the presidential office much of that marvellous popularity which has made him world figure.