The Washington herald., 1907-12-09
MONDAY. DECEMBER .. 1907.
The Game and the Consnirncr

The game OF hide and seek which the
President. to borrow Justice Brewers apt
phrase. is playing with the American
people and particularly with the Re-
publican party. becomes more and more
battling and piquant. How, for example,
are We to interpret the acute distinction
made at the White House between what
Mr. Roosevelt tells casual visitors and
what he wants the public to believe?
Only few days ago the President re-
m~rked to a caller. in the presence of an
unimpeachable witness. that he could not
serve beyond his present term. and that
some one else must carry on his work.
Hardly had tins gotten into the papers
when "a semi-0ficiaI statement appeared
TO the effect that what the President said
60 visitors must not be accepted az rep
resenting his official views which will be
placed before the people only in a formal
and unnistakable way. There is plenty
OF evidence that the President has lately
taken TO deprecating the third-term
movement privately. while seemingly de-
sirous Of holding the third-term possi-
bility dangling before the country. IL
this sort OF thimble-rgging Is designed
TO keep the opposition guessing. IT is
highly successful. But does it heighten
Mr. Roosevelts reputation for straight
forwardness and square dealing?
20 enhance the fascination Of the hide
and-seek play. new and lurid plot OF
the anti-Roosevelt conspirators is flashed
upon the public. From the New York
Tribune, an organ OF the administration
We extract the horrid details. During
the past week there has appeared in
many newspapers a magazine advertise
ment headed Theodore RoOsevelt-De-
strOyer." Friends OF the administration
we are told. have inquired into the cost
OF this advertisement. and have found
tElt it must have been at least 100000
II Is naturally assumed" says the
Tribune that such sum could not
have been expended by a small publisher
or by any firm OF poor men. and the cir
cumstance Is declared TO be the natural
outcome OF that conspiracy which was
so frankly described by a convivial guest
at the now famous Bourne dinner of last
spring" We quote AT length from the
Tribune what purports to be the White
House conception Of the purpose, method.
and extent Of the conspiracy;
The wholesale manner in which the Theodore
Il svot-DCstroyCr' advertisement is being circ-i-
lated the suddenly swollen bank accounts Of certain
politicians who aIr working against the Roosevelt
type Of RepibHcsnisrn and the editorials IN certain
newspapers arc all pointed b. as clearly indicative
q the determination Of certain interests 20 prevent
the continuance OF The policies fer which the Pesi
del has stOod-a determination to relieve certain
rioators Of the Law on a magnificent scale from
the constant peril Of mpTisuunent which now men
them. The President il convinced that but for
the ruling Of a certain Judge he would have already
plac1d certain wealthy men behind the bars and he
APPRECIATES TO the fun the anxiety be has occasOne
70 JEcry who regards the violation Of the law
as essential % his financial slccess He is deter
mined that if it lies in him. there shall be selected
10 sncceed him candidate who VIII be IN thorough
accord with his policy Of enforcing the law. and
The Of abundant funds to defeat his purpose oc-
casions him anxiety. he is confident that once
the great body Of the people realize the facts the
most lavish expenditures Of money win prove Of no
avail
Assuming the substantial accuracy CT
this definition of the Presidents purpose.
we think it throws strong light upon
the contest now proceeding for the Re
pupilCdh AitsiueHtidl HOulihdllOu- IL
shows that Mr.. Roosevelt is deeply in
the game. and that any hope that may
have sprung up that he would lay the
third-term ghost, or abate his imperious
ambition for party leadership, may as
we'll be dismissed at once as vain and
impossible And who can deny that the
logic of the situation. as thus disclosed.
points as strenuOusly as il eyer did 70
the denomination OF Mr.. Roosevelt as the
chief perhaps the only. exponent of the
Rooseveltian policies?