Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-09-12
Roosevelt and Hearst.
(Richmond News-I.eader ,

NNicnmOnd NewS-Leader.
Unfair and malignant as usual, the
New York newspapers are contrasting
tne comparative conservatism of Will
ham h Hearst's Labor-Day speech at
the jamestown exposition with the al
legged violence of President Roosevelt's
expressions in various public speeches
and papers. They Indicate the belief
that Mr.. Hearst finds that he is beaten
at his own game, that he cannot dare
to go as far in radical directions as the
President, and that therefore he finds
that he must retreat toward conserya-
tism.
We surmise the underlying, real, per-
sonal fact to be that Mr. Hearst, being
a young man whose father left him
twenty million dollars, and who controls
eight money-built newspapers, having
no definite opinions or power of thought
OF his own, usually is controlled by who
ever may be writing his editorials or
preparing his speeches at the moment.
1t may be that Mr.. Brisbane, while in
possession of him, kept him in the atti-
tude of rather violent Socialist, and
that now he is under charge and guild
ance of somebody of more moderate
views. This, however, is a supposition.
Mr.. Hearst is public man. and from
the public point of view we must as
sumo, In the absence of positive proof
to the contrary, that he is free agent
and is governed by his own ideas and
purposes.
The difference between Hearst and
Roosevelt hitherto has been that Hearst
has done and said all he could, through
his hired thinkers and writers. has ex-
hausted all the rhetoric and job type to
arouse prejudice and bitterness against
wealth and all its possessors. He has
been guided by the Socialist maxim
that property is robbery" Roose-
welt never has spoken or written a word
or sentence in this direction. His de-
nunciations have been against wealth
dishonesty gained and used, against
men who have secured money dishon-
estly and in violation of the letter or
spirit of the law.
This distinction is plain. The New
York newspapers and those few else
where in the country who train with
them do not wish to see it. They can
not unerstand that they owe service or
allegiance to the public or to the coun-
try. In their view, the brains, sub
stance and hope of the country are in
the narrow circle Of financial and cor
porate interest, the headquarters of
which is in New York. Whatever is
done or undertaken by that circle is
right and must he supported. Whoever
opposes or resists or undertakes to de-
feat the purposes of that circle is a
fool, a lunatic or an anarchist, and in
any case public enemy.
Mr.. Roosevelt is not violent, extreme
Or vindictive. If he were, he could not
have the following that is behind him
IN his war against capital gathered by
'windling and juggling and used to de.
'troy competition or to despoil or de.
oriye the public. The average Ameri-
IAN citizen honors the dollar when it Ia
he product of thrift or of brains or
even of honest luck in fair ventures.
lie understands that the more dollars
here are, in natural conditions and
With normal business methods prevail
ng, the better chance he has to get
'ome of them. He is proud of the
wealth and power of his country and
'xults to see his fellow-citizen heap
Up fortunes so long as it is not done at
he cost of himself and the general pub
&c. Yet he follows Roosevelt in the
ight against the dishonest corporations.
lot because he envies or hates anybody !
Use, but because he feels that he has
ne right of self protection and intends
O guard his own rights and interests.
All the strength Hearst ever had was i
iven him by the very men Roosevelt
fighting and the New York newspa- ,
ers defend so fiercely. Their open,