Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-10-10
President Roosevelt's Speeches.

y
1t has seldom if ever fallen to the
people of the United States to hear a
series of speeches as uniformly inter-
esting, and SO strongly and broadly
patriotic in character, as the speeches
delivered by President Roosevelt so
far on his present trip. In several
respects they are in marked contrast
with the speeches that have been
heard from him on previous occasions,
and they differ widely from what peo-
pie who had not before heard or seen
him had been led to look for from the
man. Even beginning with his elo-
quent tribute to the martryed Presi-
dent, William Mckinley, at Canton,
Ohio, which may justly be called a
masterpiece of appreciative oratory,
covering his short remarks on the
way, his speech at Keokuk, and his
address at St. Louis, his every sem
tence is illumed with truth and
fraught with the evidence of careful
thought. Moderate in tone, and
most jealousy guarded to fit the spec
ial occasions that called them forth,
his speeches may well b. called the
utterances of great ,.dtesman, and
worthy the man occupying the exalt-
ed Office he holds. As a general
proposition, he talked on great indus
trial propositions, and policies were
eschewed. As Henry George de-
clared he "stood for men," so Theo-
dore Roosevelt in every line of these
speeches declared he stood for men
and women-the real men and women
of this country. At keokuk he said
referring to an interview had with him
some time ago by certain labor lead
ers; 81 would do anything in my
power for the laboring man except
anything that is wrong. So say to
the business man; | will do every
thing to help business conditions ex-
cept anything that is wrong" Strong
words those, and uttered with a power
OF moderation that carries conviction
OF their sincerity. Further along in
the same speech he says: "We need
good laws and we need above all
things the hearty aid OF all good citi-
zens in supporting and enforcing these
laws. Nevertheless, men and women
of the middle west, never forget tha,
law and the administration of law,
important though they are, must al.
ways occupy wholly second place
as compared with the character OF the
average citizen himself"
A strong plea for good citizenship
that, and he strengthens it by adding
an especial appeal to the women.
''You men must be workers." he
says, ''who work with all your heart
and strength and mind at your sever
al tasks in life; and you must also be
able to fight at need. You women
have even higher and more difficult
duties; for | honor no man, not even
the soldier who fights for righteous
ness, quite as much as | honor the
good woman who does her full duty
as wife and mother. But if she shirks
her duty as wife and mother then she
stands on par with the man who re-
fuses to work for himself and his fam
lily, for those dependent upon him,
and who in time of the nations need
refuses to fight. The man or woman
who shirks his or her duty occupies a
contemplate position"
In his St. Louis speech, he shows a
broad general grasp of the general
problem of the country's Transports
tion facilities and requirements, and
while not making any radical declsra-
tions or pledges, he declares that the
waterways are great national asset
that should be utilized to the mos,
practical advantages. He touches on
the legal phases of the question Of
transportation, and shows favor for
national control and regulation of the
great highways. He does not argue
for any changes in the Constitution,
but he pleads for broader construc-
ton of the fundamental law, which
he declares already provides ample
power if rightly administered.
Altogether the speeches are of a
character to make every loyal citizen
of the country proud of the man who
gave expression to the views they
voice. While it can not be said there
is anything especially new in them,
they present Roosevelt's views with q
strength aud clearness that make them
historical documents. In their every
line and between the lines, they pro-