The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-23
Trnan FOR PLAIN TALK.

No one. we think. who reads The Hartford tconn.) Times, will accuse t of sensationaIism. of yindietivensss, or of unnecessarily indulging in vio- lent criticism of the President. It. in fact, refers somewhat dsprecatinsiy of It's plain speaking. while insisting that 1t feels 1t a plain duty to criticise MT. Roosevelt as 1t believes he de- seres. For all it's conservatism, how ever. it does not hesitate to speak out in plain English regarding some of Roosevelt's departures from sanity and propriety.
 The Times calls attention to a speech made a few nights ago in New York by Chief Justice Mitchell, of Pennsylvaniah who Is . staunch Republican in all things. but whose judicial mind cannot rest easy when he recalls some of the recent per- formances of his psrty's chief exec utive. Both by implication and by direct words the judge criticised the President severely and made 1t plain that he looked on him as a dangerous man in the Presidential chair. It is not necessary to copy or quote from the speech. but is sufficient to say that tt was not the kind of talk that Roosevelt could take pleasure in read ing.
 Another mater that The Times re- fers to is, the reports of recent meeting Of the oridiron Club in Wash. ington. One of the features of the entertainment was that three new members should bring in evidences oi their qualifications for newspaper work. They presented alleged inter views with the rulers of China. Fur. key and Germany. in which each oi these potentates, by implication al least, expressed their anxiety tc make way-for . more vigorous boss in the person of America's ruler They made it appear that what they want is ruler "who win give us q constitutional government and ther forget the constitution" and let 1t b, ,understood that if Roosevelt shouit run out Of q job they win gladly giv, him one. The Times adds:
 To "set up q constiturionai govern. mont and then s.forget the constitu. uons--thsre sould. not well be a nor. biting sarca4nl than this. But fl and everybody laughed. 10 make thS Ccnstttution Of the United States ( laughing stock in his ceaseiess and to be applauded all the time he Is do. ing it--ls not this the vocation of tht man who, Chief Justice Mitchell. oi Pennsylvenia. declares, is trying, tt of the law. thus taking "short steps to anarchy?
 We are told in the reports of thes' gatherings of the Gridiron Club that MT. Roosevelt was present and that he enjoyed the procedings and laughed heartily at what was said. Plainly hs thought it a compliment to himseli to be held up as despot who would put his own will and his own wish ei above the Constitution and the laws of the country Is 1t any wonder that sound and conservative newspaper like The Times should think 1t righr and proper to speak plainiy3. There has been far too much deferenot shown the Presidential ofAee since Roosevelt took charge of It: deference on the part of those who have pretty we'll lost respect for him, yet stu respect the ofiee he holds. This very reticence on the part of those whc should have spoken plainly is one oi the chief causes of hls overbearine self.conceit and his intolerance and ohfensiveness toward all who refuse tc agree with. He would have been . better President if he had received condemnation when he deserved 1t. g.