The morning journal-courier., 1908-09-25
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.

THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
When Theodore Roosevelt was
taught the manly art of self defense
he was Instructed TO hit hard. In his
letter to Mr.. Bryan, which the public
is permitted TO share In the contents
OF. will be found reflected the hard hit
ting habit In the whole literature of
American politics there will be found
no letter to compare with II in its
abandonment Of tradition it's severity
of tone and It's utter fearlessness No
other man has ever occupied the pres
i'd tial office who would have
dreamed OF infictlng such a scathing
letter. No other man having indicted
It would have made It public. Surely
Theodore Roosevelt Is In class by
himself, and If that fact was ever
questioned 1t cannot be questioned
again.
1t must at once be said. upon the
other hand, that no man but William
]. Bryan. private citizen would have
thought of addressing the president OF
the United states by telegraph and
hope for an answer. It Is an astonish-
ing Incident all the way through and
>tustifes the belief that the country is
not yet out of sight of additional sem
sations. The manner In which the
transaction has been carried on sug-
gests that It has been long In the plan
Z ming The amount Of correspondence
at the instant control Of those en-
& gagged in the controversy and the
readiness with which attack follows
attack is nothing short of amazing.
1t looks as II all. barriers were down
and the field thrown open to all COM
ers, the one commanding figure In the
controversy, who Is content to stick
to the issues of the campaign and dis
cuss them, being William H. Taft.
Those who are inclined 10 fear the
effect Of Rosevelt's interference on
Taft's chances do not want to over
look the impression his common
sense and straightforward methods
are making upon thoughtful people
While the others are quarrelllng over
errors Of judgment and mistaken
methods of speech, he Is, as usual, at
tending strictly to his job and illus
\ trating in the most impressive manner
the mental operations which will con-
troll him when in the white house.
As for the Roosevelt, Bryan, Hearst
round up 1t takes one off ones feet
The blows which the former deals
Bryan are mighty ones and cannot fai
Z impressing the electorate. The ques.
ton of Mr.. Bryan's sincerity is not In.
that In the various other connections
which have from time to time beer
made 1t is the same old question Of
his Judgment of men and things. The
\. exposure of Governor Haskell Is ter.
riflcally clear and the first thought one
has Is not the enforced elimination o
that gentleman from the campaign
which must follow as matter O.
logic but instead the credulity of Mr.
Bryan, who was so completely taker
In by him. Haskell Is only recent,
In his confidence, and yet with onl,
that short association he was made a
Bryan's request the commanding fig
ure at the Denver convention and tn,
treasurer Of the democratic party |
may not perhaps be said that Thu
makes Bryan out a poor Judge of mel
but 1t surely does not make him
NJ good judge Of men, while It empha
"a sizes that inherent and instinctiv,
capacity for i'll considered move
which has cost him the support o
K thousands Of democrats in the pas
and is to cost him thousands in tn
immediate future. Mr.. Bryan neve
made more costly error Of judgmen
than whe he tied himself to Haskell
without having previously inquired
\ diligently into his career A repudia
ton of him means nothing now. TIL
mistake was made when he took hin
to his bosom without thought and be
came his guarantor. 1t was the sam
mistake which Wall street investor
made when Haskell moved anon
them
t 1t Is too early to- say what is t
happen to the campaign as a conse
quence of these dramatic disclosures
because it Is too early, If not innpos
sible, to say what further disclosure
are in store ior tho country. Thi
n morning may bring form much; II no
t,s,s morning th.n to-noi row morn