Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-03
ROOSEVELT AND BLACK

TX-GOVERNOR FRANK BLACK
II of New York, who placed Theo-
~ dore Roosevelt in nomination for
the presidency four years ago, has ut
tered a remarkable series of epigrams.
which show that he has had glimpses
of the truth, but that he is not one
of the Observation-Disclosures. for he
persists in trying to blame the accidents
that have marred American prosperity
on one man, instead of on conditions
which have been attacked by that man
in an outspolken manner that is hap
pily not exceptional but characteristic.
Let us hear what Mr.. Black has to
say, without for a minute agreeing
with him in his reference of the cause
of the effects he describes to one man.
1t is a pity that Mr.. Black is still so
much of a politician that he has not
altogether succeeded in being a social
philosopher. But if he will eliminate
his personal animus, his conclusions
may help Americans to estimate con-
ditions in this critical period of the
history of the republic.
Speaking before the Home Market
club of Boston, he said:
"Unamerican doctrines took away the
courage of the Republican party and
started her upon career of wander
ing and hesitation, The decisions of
our highest courts are criticised by
men who never studied law and by
lawyers who never tried a case. Pol
icies consist now of a series of antics.
Confidence, the basis on which all
friendly intercourse depends, has been
finally destroyed. The laborer, deprived
of work, is now demanding government
aid as the next and legitimate step in
this frenzied dispensation. Prosperity,
but yesterday at the flood, has leaked
away. The most tyrannical trust in
existence today is the political trust.
High places do not always make great
men. Foundations securely laid should
not be uprooted in excitement. Plans
conceived in the study should not be
overruled in the stable. The best is
none too good for us, and the best
never was and never will be devised
by those who do not think"
(which nobody can deny" But Mr..
Black assumes an absurdly illogical
condition when he blames the chief ex-
ecutive for results which followed con-
ditions combated by him when he was
police commissioner of New York, when
he was defeated for the mayoralty and
even Henry George polled more votes
than he when he was civil service
commissioner, when he was elected
governor, and when he became presi-
dent of the United States. During all
of his life Mr. Roosevelt has been a
radical Republican. He and his pol
icies have nothing in common with the
Republicanism of Blaine and Harrison.
But he and his policies have a goo1
deal in COMMON with Abraham Lincoln
and his policies, a fact which has not
escaped observation and appreciation,
expressed in the formation of Lincoln
Roosevelt clubs.
| Mr.. Blacks perfervid enthusiasm is i'll
directed when it is aggressiyely di-
rected against the president. Mr..
Roosevelt cannot be blamed for what
has happened. The man who would
blame him would have blamed Noah
for the flood and would certainly ex
hibit and illustrate an antediluvian
mode of thinking and reasoning. Much
that President Roosevelt has said re-
Gently has been nothing but old time,
true blue Democracy. He has reas-
serted certain Democratic and Ameri-
can first principles. Mr.. Black should
have no quarrel with the president be-
cause he is honestly outspoken. The
| fact is, Mr.. Black, as far as his at
titude to his party is concerned, is a
Republican in name only. Mr.. Roose-
welt, according to Republicans who
have found fault with his utterances,
| is a Republican in name only. If Mr..
Black will get rid of his cantankerous
delusion that Col. Roosevelt caused the
conditions which irritate him, and IL
Mr.. Roosevelt will assume a correct at
titude of estimation of his present con-
dition and relationship politically, both
Roosevelt the criticised and Black the
criticiser will become by declared al
legiance, as we'll as in fact, members
! of the Democratic party.