The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-10-30
HENRY WATTERSON PAYS HIS
RESPECTS TO LUKE WRIGHT

The habit of imposture has become
so chronic with the republicans that
they will fall back upon any old thing
and call it a democrat. Thus Gen.
Luke E. Wright was introduced the
other night as "a democrat having the
honor, very doubtful honor-"of
holding a cabinet position under 4 re-
publican administration to a gaping
crowd Of New Workers in Carnegie
Hall. The general were better de-
| 5cribed as an attorney for the system,
which, having syndicated the repub-
lican party, is seeking to purchase a
perpetual lease upon the government
of the country.
When a man has served republican
administrations as a governor gener-
Al 9nd an ambassador, and sits at
length at a republican council board,
it is surely time for him to throw OF
the disguise Of pretended democracy
and frenEly to admit that he is = re-
publican. entitled TO all he cOnsidera-
ton, but to no more consideration
| than other Of the leaders Of that par
~.
/ In the case OF such man the ele-
ment Of disinterestedness if not of
stability. is wholly wanting. He obeys
master. He wears a collar. And
this collar is none the less seTvile be-
cause it is shining, but rather the
more so since he seems to be proud
of it, recalling the inscription car
ried about by the bishops collie:
81 am his lordship's dog at Kew,
Please tell me, sir. whose dog are
you"
Gen. Wright, being of the court cir
Gle, is much displeased to have the
king, and the would-be founder of
dynasty of kings (for particulars APP
ply to Nicholas Longworth, if you
can find himD referred to as a mir
ed man." even though his employers
be "the people"
The secretary of war says truly, as
these columns have said, only to ex-
cite the mirth of the penny-a-liners of
the republican press, that the presi-
dent is a monarch in everything ex-
cept the name. With respect to the
"hired man" suggestion, the secretary
though ii might tickle the ear of the
groundlings" but that it would make
the judiciOus grieve." He then went
on to say that "in no proper sense" is
the president the hired man. of the
people, concluding that Gin many re-
spects he is vested with powers and
duties as large as most sovereigns,
and, in fact, may affect the fortunes
and future of his people to a degree
equal to that of most of the crowned
heads of the civilized world"
The constitution of the United
States gives the chief magistrate ex-
traordinary powers. He has the veto.
His is the power of nomination to of
fee. He is cOmmander-in-chief o. the
army and navy. With a senate ODE
dent to his will he is only a consti-
tutional sovereign. With both houses
of congress obedient to his viii, he
might become a car. Yet, if the the
DRY of our government remains oper-
alive, he is nevertheless the 'hired
man" of the people, chosen Tor linn
tied term of service
That Theodore Roosevelt has AFRO
gated to himself powers undreamod Of
by the makers of the constitution, the
inspired authors of our bl 9sSeI reDub-
lican system, seems o Lave impressed
itself upon the imagination of his sec
Rotary CT war-thOugh Gen. Wright is
lawyer, and has the reputation Of
being a good one-so that in the sec
retary's opinion he has ceased to be
a 'hired man" and become an over
lord, who may with impunity denounce
those that oppose him as traitors to
their country and those that contra
dict him as liars"
In the generals officialized fancy
"the people" have become ground
lings." To speak of a Roosevelt as a
hired man" is proclamation. 1t is to
bring vulgarism betwixt the wind and
Gen. Wright's nobility. '"Scuse me,
Mistah Yancey," says the colored mas
ter of ceremonies to the white livery
man, who had taken the job of haul
ing the guests to the party, and was
waiting upon the outer veranda for
the end of the dance and the return
trip, "Scuse me, Mistah Yancey; but
de smell Oh de stable am insuffensive
TO de ladies!"
All! Luke! Luke! 1t is enough to
make rugged old Archibald, the Doric |