The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-01-02

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"HE statement of President
Roosevelt on election night,
1904, "that under no circum-
stances will be candidate
for or accept another nomination"
should be remembered and taken at its
full value, for it not only removed
from the minds of his countrymen
prolific source Of suspicion as to the
sincerity of his promised unselfish de-
votion to duty, but it gave solemn
pledge to the people that he would
keep himself free to the end of his SER
vice from this element of weakness.
Should he now violate this assurances
he would weaken the confidence Of the
people as to the nnselfishness Of his
purposes and plant suspicion i'll its
ptace. He would endanger the sup
port SO necessary to success Ia the con-
dict with the powerful interests that
he has offended.
It would not matter much. what
claims his party put forth as to the
need which the country has OF his SER
vices in completing the tasks that he
has undertaken, for ne could not claim
that he alone Of our p6blic. men is
'6tted to carry these tasks to their sue
.cessful completion.
Admitting that he has been extraor-
.dinarily fortunate in his ability to be
the exponent Of the convictions and
desires of the people during his admin
istration; that he has put in motion
currents of political action that will
continue to flow until they have swept
from. our. industrial life the, evils
ssers dssig gusd Alenere,Leaa-
not 36mft that he is an absolute neces-
Sity to the carrying on of this work.
The average man in the performances
OF public trust feels more independ-
seae aud is less likely to be swayed by
personal appeals il he intends at the
end Of his term Of office to retlreNto
private life. On this principle of hu-
man nature the judiciary system Of
most states has been founded, and the
experience of those that have adopted
the executive system for short terms
fully sustalns the correctness of, the
principle.
There are very few exceptions to
tbis rule; men like Washington and
Lincoln moved thru their political Or
bits in q way to leave no suggestion of
q doubt but that the public interest
was the uppermost thought that
guided them in their high Office. The
presidency brings tremendous physi.
cal and mental strain, and strong as
he is Roosevelt must welcome the re-
lief from the unceasing anxiety which
his responsibilities have brought him.
Altho his character might be termed a
yielding one, he is forceful, self-reliant,
and has become so absorbed in the
magnitude and grandeur of the inter
ests confided to- him that his own per-
ssOnal fortunes are forgotten.
So far his, success as president has
been due to three things: his faithful
interpretation of the convictions that
have so profoundly stirred the minds
of the American people: their entire
confidence in his sincere, patriotic and
unfaltering purpose to safeguard their
rights, and his unquestioned courage
and ability shown in the pursuit of his
purposes. His nature is to figure upon
the political stage in large and dra.
matte way which appeals to the people
of the nation, rather than to aim at
political security by conciliating this
or that interest, or trying to attach to
himself this or that politician by the
use or abuse Of patronage.
As governor of New York he so car.
ried himself in Office as to incur the
enmity of political managers and finan.
cial magnates whose requests or com.
mands he would not heed and whose
schemes he refused to forward, an en-.
NIFTY which believe resulted in plac.
ing him in the vice. presidency, for il
is no, secret that he was urged for that
place BY those whose purpose it was to
get him out of New York politics. We
all know that Roosevelt desired to be
governor Of New York for another
term, and how he publicly prottsted