The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-01-20
A "HORsE" ON ROOSEVELT.

From the Macon Telegraph.
Theodore Roosevelt went out of
his way to hold Senator Tillman up
to public scOrn for attempting to get
an option on public lands which he
was properly endeavOring as sena-
tor to have restored to the govern
ment by the railroad which was lille
gally holding them, and, also, for
the senator's abuse of his franking
privilege.
The president has had his shot
and made as much noise as he could
with the ammunition in hand.
But he in effect fired a blank car
fridge at Tillman.
The Carolina senator has deliv-
cred his shot in reply, and while
admitting some improperly and,
"disingenuousness" has shown con-
clusively that he has not committed
any crime or been guilty of cOrrup-
ton
The press and the country have rec
ognized what The Telegraph said
from the outset, in reviewing the
presidents ex parte statement, that
admitting all the president said Till
man was not guilty of any crime.
The president did not, in fact, indict
him for any crime.
Whatever public purpose the pres
ident may have had or thought he
had in taking his extraordinary
course, it lays him open to a private
result which may in the end make
him sorry he spoke"
Having accused another of cor
ruption on insufficient ground, his
own record in this regard becomes a
fair subject of inquiry. If senators
and congressman should insist on in
vestigating him and one-hundredth
part of the misrepresentation of gov
eminent property is established
against him of that which is ru-
mored and limited Tillman's pecca-
dillo compared with the disclosures
Will appear like a summer zephyr
compared to cyclone.
Bearing in mind that the presi-
dent has no more right than a sem
ator to appropriate government prop
erty to his private use, what must be
thought of the Roosevelt administra-
ton for charging corruption to Till
man if the following statements of
the New York Sun are true? The
Sun says:
No president since the founda-
ton of the government ever used
public property for his private
benefit in more open and auda-
c1ous manner than the present
president. Mr. Roosevelt has
made tho TTpi+aJ S+0+oc
plaything of his children. With
him public trust has always
been a family picnic Nearly
every college boat race at New
London has witnessed the use of
government ship by the presi-
dent for the use of his family
and friends at the expense of the
treasury of the United States.
A considerable portion of the
American navy has by presiden-
tai order paraded at the expense
OF the taxpayer in front of the
presidents summer cottage in
order that he and his friends can
vary the mOnOtOny of midsum-
mer by parade of warships and
the welcome sound of the presi-
oCA1IloI salute. UDJll congress
provided for his unofficial trav-
els Mr. Roosevelt, in the same
spirit of economy, compelled
railroads to furnish him and his
friends with free transportation.
Notwithstanding the rigid prohi-
bition by interstate commerce
laws of any preference to any
citizen. The unprecedented use
of the American embassies in
Europe to glorify the Roosevelt
family, while exciting the hilar-
ity of the European royal fami-
lies, shocked those Americans at
home and abroad who, know
ing the facts, beheld the dignity
OF American character lowered
by the insufferable snobbery of
aping the etiquette of royal
courts.
With these facts already publicly
known as a starter congress would
certainly find the field rich in sur
pr1ses if it should conclude to inves-
t1gate the presidents misuse of pub
y