The Washington herald., 1908-03-25

Theodore Roosevelt, acting in a capacity
similar 10 that OF an administrator with
the will annexed. II may be conceded
that during those three and a half years
the people obtained some intimation OF
the character OF administration Mr.
Roosevelt would inaugurate. should lie be
elected President. and thus become free
to carry out his own policies. AS a mat
ter OF fact, however he never lost sight
of his declaration. made in all solemnity
az Buffalo. Ito carry cut absolutely un-
broken the policy of President McKin-
ley" How. then. can kis reelection vlo-
late the substance any more thar it does
the form Of the custom? 1t Violates
neither.
M Citizen Can Refuse Presidency.
II the great mass of the American peo-
pie. regardless Of party afiliation. desire
that the President succeed himself, and
I believe they DO, unquestionably, it
would be folly for them TO regard the
statement OF Mr.. Roosevelt as conclusive.
( The Office OF President Of the United
States is so exalted, and its adm..istra-
tion so affects the welfare OF all, that
the people will never concede that any
citizen can refuse TO accept it when ten
dored
Mr.. Roosevelt, however has not de-
clared that he will decline the Office
should he receive the electorate vote Of
the nation. We need not fear that he
would think of refusing it. He is TOO
good a soldier and too patriotic an Ameri-
can TO refuse 10 obey the command Of
the people to stay in the harness until he
finishes the good work he has inau-
gurated.
II the American people VIII stop 20
think for a moment they viii realize that,
barring death or serious illness, Presi-
dent Roosevelt must and will be selected
ana elected for a second elective term.
The people are with him In the great
work he has undertaken. They have the
utmost faith in his honesty OF purpose.
They appreciate his transcendant ability
to deal with the great problems now con-
fronting the state. They realize his cour-
age. his initiative, his vast experience,
his tremendous capacity for effective
work They believe in his purpose 10
enforce the law impartially. without re-
spect to person. wealth. or station. They
have an abiding faith in the ultimate
good that viii result 20 this nation from
his persistent campaign against legal and
moral wronsdoing. They comprehend the
value Of having such a man as Chief
Executive.
Problems Not Yet solved.
No other man has such hold upon the
confidence of the people. No ether man
can gain such confidence without years
of trial The people know what Roose-
velt is; they do not know what some
ether man may become. The policies Of
Roosevelt are IN course Of execution.
Few. at this time. have reached ultimate
conclusion. To place another man at the
head Of this government would mean. for
some time 10 come. delay, uncertainty. II
not possible disappointment. in the sue
cessful carrying out of the problems OF
government the President has essayed to
solve
For President Roosevelt to be permit
ted TO give up the reins Of government
al the end OF his first elective term be-
cause of such illogical and paltry reasons
as have been offered, against the wish
of the great mass of the people, in the
present condition Of governmental af-
fairs would be worse than folly.
There is but one logical and reasonable
thing TO co under the circumstances, and
that IS for the Republican national con-
vention at Chicago to nominate Mr..
Roosevelt as the choice OF the Republican
party for President 1t might not be so
logical, but it would be the sensible thing
for the Democratic convention to take
similar course If Mr. Roosevelt feels
that he cannot consistently accept an
other nomination, the people will not in
sist that he do SO They will, however,
insist that he be on hand when the time
comes for his Inauguration.