The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-01-11

oCCdo, anu LHCy WOIIL give Illclu u /
without the lOudest kind of pro
test.
The president and family spent
the time between Christmas and
New Years on Mrs. Roosevelt's
farm in Albermarle County, Vir-
ginia, where he put in most of his
time trying to reduce a wild
turkey to captivity with a shot
gun. His personal attendants and
all the neighbOrs cordially assist
ed him, but no turkeys waited
for him to pick them up. If he
had turned his attention to bears,
in a bear country, he would have
come home loaded to the guards
with pelts, as usual. But nothing
in all the woods is quite so suspi-
ciOus and evasive as a wild turkey,
and he only got a shot at one.
Three times he had a shot at one,
once while it was on the ground
and twice while it was suddenly
leaving, but not even a feather
fell. He had a good time horse
back riding through the woods
and across country, as also did
Mrs. Roosevelt and the boys, and
all returned Monday night in
prime condition. Now he has re
sumed his hunt for trusts, land
thieves, unlawful mergers of rail
roads and rebelliOus congresses
and is likely to have better luck.
The awful railroad accident
within the city limits last Sun
day evening in which over fifty
people were killed and as many
more badly injured has produced
a local feeling which is likely to
result in some strenuous legisla-
ton by congress looking toward
the more careful operation of all
railroads. Never in the history of
this country has there been such
series of horrible railroad acct
dents resulting in large loss of
life as has taken place in the past
three months. The feeling has
become general that the railroads
are ineXcusable in their criminal
negligence, and that the time has
arrived when congress should take
vigorous action to bring about a
different condition of things.
Many of these accidents are ad-
mittedly the result of gross care,
lessness, and the government
could undoubtedly devise a rem
edy which would bring about large
improvement in railroad opera
tons. In the accident of Sunday
night the killed and wounded
were nearly all residents of this
city returning home on a crowded
train after a days visit with
friends in the suburbs, and the
horror comes pretty close home to
the capitol.
The announcement by Secretary
Taft that-in effect-he will ac-
cept a presidential nomination if |
he can get it puts a different look |
on things all around. In the first !
place it is taken to indicate that |
President Roosevelt will absolute
ly refuse to tolerate the idea of a
denomination, and that he means
business with a large B when he
says so. Otherwise Mr.. Taft
would not admit that he would
accept the nomination.
Taft is too much devoted to the
interests to allow him
self to stand in RoOsevelt's way if
ne thought the latter might be in
luced to accept. Again, Taft's
admission of his possible candi-
lacy busts the Ohio republicans
Ill to Smithereens. The machine
here long ago decided to endorse
md present Senator Foraker for
he nomination, and now another
son of Ohio is in the first. The
question now is, can Taft secure
he Ohio delegation as against
Foraker? Very doubtful. The
ohio republican organization is
favorable to neither Taft or ROOse
'elt. a
Previous to this administration
believe it was the custom for a
PRESIDENT to hold a reception for t
he general public once a week, q
0 which everybody, without dis
inctiOn of race, color or sex, i
vas welcome. These were most
'leasant and appreciated Occa- A
ions, and we're largely taken ad- 1
antage of. President ROosevelt's
eceptiOns for the general public, =
Owever, are limited to one each p
ear, on New Years day. Then a
nd then only can the-usually- "
reat unwashed come en- masse, II
18th their sisters, cousins, aunts n
and babes in arms. c
asst Tuesday the official public a
eceptiOn was announced for 1 p. Of
l., as usual, and again as usual h,
ours before the appointed time ''
he line of waiting patriots had A
,rmed. By ten a. M, several 1:
were in line, comprising -
very color, race, age and sex and .
1, when the doors were opened, !
lie line extended through the e,
rounds and away off down Penn F.
,lvania avenue out of sight, re- 4,
lrdless of the perilous discOm- 70
,rts of the weather and terrible OF
.+;o,,o +bov stood fbora bO,1r. ] M