Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-18

"THE PASSING OF ROOSEVELT"
President is Characterised as . Gar.
eoyIe and as Worth While If for
Nothing Else Than to Laugh at -
WiIIett Becomes So Personal That
Senate Refuses to Hear Balance Of
Speech.

Washington, Jan. 1S.-CharacteriZinS
President Roosevelt as a gargoyle, and
as This pig1ny descendant of the
Dutch trades people," charging him
with having Established court in the
White House which would have de-
lighted the heart of his admired Alex
ander Hamilton" Congressman Willett
of New York, in the house today made
one of the most bitter attacks on tho
chief executive ever heard in that
body
willett took for his theme, THE
Passing of Roosevelt" and in speech
of great length dealt with numerous Of
the presidents acts since he came into
office, and scathingly denounced them.
After declaring that in the face of all
sorts of conditions, Americans were
possessed of a universal sense of hum
or, Willett said that to such people 'it
must be confessed, that the chief mag
istrate, who has himself no sense of
humor, moving like a horse-tedder
over the hay field of American activi-
ties; stirring up every drying blade OF
once green grass. to let it fall driar
than before: quarreling one day with
practical politicians, then with the
part your -hair- in the middle reform
ers, then with the socialists. then with
the great industrial corporations:
wrestling in agony of spirit with Noah
Webster and our glorious English
tongue; taking a fall at the nature fax
ers; exhorting our women to avoid
race suicide. cannot be an unmixed
nuisance
"Good to Laugh At"
'tHe tries our patience, but
he always is good to laugh at. Thank
heaven for the things that make us
laugh"
Willett gave a brief biography Of
Roosevelt's life, beginning with his ex-
perience as cowboy down to this
present time, and accused him, in his
early manhood, Of having had prepos-
terous notions, of having 'knifed" Sec
retary Long. Of being a warrior alone
in Cuba" of having won the COVER
norship of New York by a mere fluke,
when the false halo of San Juan hill
was above his head; the beneficiary OF
assassins, and last, and the crowning
piece of luck, nominated for president
when all the aggressive elements OF
passion wanted to see their own can
didate defeated "Mammoth Joculari-
ty has got to laugh with every appear
ance, the gargoyle has been funny from
the hour it left its native quarry"
Arraians Presidential Acts.
In conclusion Willett severely criti-
cized ard denounced many Of the pres
ident's acts. He charged the president
had shown insolence towards Admiral
Dewey, DETAINED Admiral Schley, in
suited General Miles, bulldozed Prest-
dent Castro, had seen the Filipinos
brutally treated, had marooned Colonel
Stewart, whom he did not like, had
kept young women from earning an
honest living by telling the truth, has
allowed "scandalous conditions" to ex-
list In the army and navy, had COM
PEELED his subordinates ITO act as hunt
ing dogs for the czar Of Russia, In
trailing down men who had fought for
liberty" chad practically re-estab-
lished the John Adams alien and sedt-
ton laws, had forced desertions from
the army by allowing intolerable
treatment of sailors "at the hands of
the aristocracy of Annapolis officers"
had permitted the degrading Of soldiers
at West Point who had been put 10
mental work, and had given a Scotch
verdict in connection with the alleged
Panama canal scandal.
A Fiddling Nero.
"You may say then.'' said Willett,
chat one individual gargoyle does not
count for much, after all, in the de-
velopment Of centuries, but he counts
as vitality and continuously afraid, the
people who have to live under him.
And q change from Nero fiddling while
ly devoted to securing as good govern
ment as the tendencies will permit, ts
change to be devoutly welcomed by
us as by the ancient Romans"
Hughes Calls Him to Order.
Several times in the course of Will
let's remarks, he was called to order
by Hughes, Of West Virginia. Il call
him to order," Hughes exclaimed. "He
is going ahead with a lot Of rot that
neither the house nor country is in
terested in" Butler, of Pennsylvania,
in the chair, ruled that Willett was
speaking under the license Of general
debate and that he was not called
upon to indicate in advance the subject
of his remarks. Willett then proceeded.
and frequently elected applause from
his democratic colleagues
Chair Rules Against Him.
Willett's reference tn 1.-The defamation
Of Schley,' caused Gardner. of Nfassa-
chusetts, to object. and after a good
deal of sparring. the chair ruled the
words We're offensive. BY this time the
house was in a furore, but above the
babel of voices. Gardner was heard to
make the point that member having
been found out of order in debate. he
was no longer entitled to the floor.