The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-02-28


people were well off and they had
time to look around, to see what was
wrong even in the period OF unpre.
cedented prosperity, and to seek
remedies for conditions that were
known to be not in keeping with the
marvellous progress of the nation.
During the unexpired term of Nc.
Kinley, President Roosevelt carried
out the policies of his martyred pre-.
decessor and gained the love and ad.
miration Of the nation and world
But at the same time the Roosevelt
vigor began to assert itself, and the
people were soon shown that while
great prosperity was being enjoyed
by the masses, an over.abundance of
1t was the portion of few favored
interests. The eyes of the public were
opened to stock gambling, to discrim-
nations practiced by the great public
service corporations, to election
abuses of many kinds, to the fact
that the American government was
not as nearly a representative form
1t was Roosevelt who taught the
people these thlngs-Roosevel in his
messages, his speeches, in every public
utterance and at all times. And so
reforms in interstate commerce began.
The abuse of the rebate privilege on
the part of railroad companies was
revealed. The schemes of Wall street
were laid bare to the world. The dan
gers Of stock gambling were EN-
phasized. The methods of conduct
Ing elections in some of the great
cities were exposed.
This work by a fearless president
meant new era for the Republican
party. 1t began to realize that it had
nursed a tariff system that had
brought wonderful riches to Ameri-
can manufacturers, but that the tar.
If baby had grown to be a creature
of monstrous size and needed to be
held down through a process of re-
vision. The republican party began
TO realize that it must encourage the
reforms suggested by Roosevelt if it
would continue to be the party of the
people, and so reforms began to APP
pear in practically every state in the
union.
Legislatures the country over be-
gan to create railway commissions
and pure food commissions, to curb
the corporations in their methods of
dealing with the people. For the pur-
pose of bringing the government a
little closer to the people, direct pri-
mary laws were passed in many
states. The free railroad pass was
abolished and the rates of transpor-
tation were reduced.
In all of these reforms the hand of
Roosevelt was seen, for it was Roose-
welt who brought the people to re-
alization of the evils existing. With
out his guidance the country might
have been going on in the old way
and most of the legislation now writ
ten in the books of the various states
doubtless would have been unrecord-
ed. Roosevelt found an army of ready
recruits for his battle of reform, but
credit must be given.
If the people could have their way
they would re-elect this man to the
presidency of the United States.
They trust him, and their confidence
in him has never been shaken. But
the emphasis of his refusal cannot
now be denied, and to have Roosevelt
in the white house for the next four
years seems impossible.
There is but one thing for the re-
publican party to do now and that is
to find the candidate who can be de-
pended upon to carry out the Roose-
welt program. The people know what
that program is, and they want it car.
ried out. There is no doubt about
that.
Here is a proposition to which
every supporter of the present admin
istration ought to agree: If Roose-
welt is to be trusted in his fight for
the masses against the powerful in
fluences Of wealth; if Roosevelt is to
be trusted in his work for the body
of the people as against the few fav-
ored by great power and riches; il
Roosevelt is the man in whom the
public has all confidence on questions
in which the administration has been
active, then is he not also man to
be trusted when he names the one
who, in his judgement, will carry on
the work he has so we'll begun?
Would Roosevelt deceive the peo-
pie, now that he is about to leave the
presidential chair, by recommending
man who is not the kind of a man
the country ought to have for presi-
dent?
Mr. Roosevelt says he wants his
friends to support Secretary Taft for
the republican nomination. Other
advice given by the president has
been safe and good Can the people
come to any conclusion other than
that this advice is safe and good?
If the American people are ready
to trust Roosevelt on any other pro-
position, are they not ready to trust
him on this one? And, granting that