The Irish standard., 1908-02-01
Washington, Jefferson and Jackson Retired
With Their Popularity in Nowise
Diminished.
Will the Present Distinguished National
Chief Executive Meet With the
Fate Of the Majority?

VIII President Roosevelt retain to
the end Of his term the favor which
he held when he began it? Probably
he will, in a. large measure says
Charles M. Harvey in the st. Louis
Globe Democrat.
Yet this will be so rare an instance
that it will deserve notice. Very few
presidents have been as popular at
their exit from office as they were at
their entrance. OF the twenty-five OF
Mr.. Roosevelt's predecessors, only three
held the popular favor when they left
ONCE to anything like the extent that
they had it when they entered Office.
These were Washington, Jefferson and
jackson. Already, it is noticed, less at
tention is given to Mr.. Roosevelt's
movements and utterances since he,
few weeks ago, took himself definitely
out Of the list of presidential possibil-
1ties in the Chicago Convention Of 1908.
More attention is now given to few
81 the various personases whose names
are coupled with the candidacy than
they got before Mr.. Roosevelt spoke
what seemed to be the final word in
his case. It was felt by large ma
jority of the Republicans and Demo.
Gratis Of the country that If the presi-
dent would permit his party to renom-
mate him at Chicago he could have
the candidacy by a unanimous, or prac-
tically unanimous. vote.
There are persons who still believe
that If a deadlock should come and
three or four unavailing ballots should
be taken somebody might propose the
name of Roosevelt, and in that event
the convention would be stampeded to
him, and he would be compelled to ac-
that although, Blaine in the early part
of 1888 made two or three separate and
emphatic Withdrawals, many delegates
continued to vote for him in that long
est Of all Republican national conven-
tions to the end. Apparently these DEL
egates we're as enthusiastic in favor
of the man from Maine at the moment
that the convention broke to Harrison
and nominated him as they were on the
first ballot. And Roosevelt has had the
affections Of his party in a greater de-
gree even than Blains. While Blaine,
in the campaign in which he was NOM
mated, was beaten by man who lack
ed personal popularity, Roosevelt had
the populace with him in both the
campaigns in which he was on a tick
et--in 1900, when he held the second
place on the ticket, as well as in 1904,
when he headed it. Undoubtedly is
was Roosevelt's personality. far moro
than it was McKinleys, which won for
I, the Mckinley and Roosevelt ticket of
1900 many states which Mckinley and
Hobart, in 1896, failed to carry. This
is one of the few instances in which
the larger parsonage held the lower
place on the ticket. While the thoughts
of the masses of the people are now
directed to the various persons who
are mentioned prominently in connec-
tion with the candidacy, it is possible
q long contest in the convention, if
there should be one, might compel a
resort to Roosevelt, regardless, Of his
desire to retire on March 4, 1909, and
of his declaration that he would retire
on that day.
Nobody can tell whether Mckinley
would have retained to the end of his
second term, if he had lived to the end,
the popularity which he had a tthe be-
ginning. Mckinley was a very affable,
tactful person, however, and had many
friends among Democrats as we'll as
had the regard of the bulk of his owl,
party. Harrison, though an excellent
president, never excited the enthusi-
jdents between Jackson and Grants
aSm Of the populace. The fact that he
was beaten in his attempt to get a
second term injured his prestige, and