Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-24

pOStdl savings D1na WQuiu DNt tEo
government in the banbin business,
just as the parcels post would brig
1t in a limited way into the express
business. Government subsidy Cor
steamship lines is variation of the
same idea. The extension of the secret
service and the prosecution Of
newspaper for IibeIing the govern
nent-"the government and its broth
er-in-law." as Colonel George Harvey
puts it-fall under similay head. The
presidents other proposals are not so
intimately associated with this princi-
pie. though some of them bear the
earmarks. They include an income
and inheritance tax, profit sharing and
old age pensions, the limited curbing
of injunctions and reform of abuses
in courts and legal practice, improve
ment of inland waterways. separate
statehood for Arizona and New Next
co, citizenship for Porto Ricans. even
tual statehood for Alaska, though this
is implied rather than directly men
toned: the fertilization of Hawaii and
the maintenance of the present status
in the Philippines.
Steers Middle Course.
Another attitude of the president.
which lie has even more frankly and
copiously avowed than his allegiance
to the Hamiltonian theory. is essential
to an understanding of the man and
his program 1t is the avoidance Of
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of policy, that is.
if not of language. He is neither a
reactiOnary nor a radical. but steers a
| middle course. He candidly admits
that he has taken up some reforms to
| foreStall their being adopted later in
| more pronounced guise. He warned
the railroads that if they refused TO
| accept government regulation they
| might be forced to face the alterna-
| tive of government ownership. He
| charged the trusts that if they did not
accede to his moderate proposals an
aroused public some day would force
upon them proposals that were not SO
moderate. In the struggle between
| capital and labor he has aSsailed both
| sides with equal vigor wherever he
thought either went too far. He was
| quite impartial in throwing verbal
| bricks at The malefactor of great
wealth" and the supporter of the boy
| colt
In the matter of denunciations the
| president plays no favorites. His com
| pliments are like the rain in that they
| fall on the just and the unjust. Today
| it IS Il United States senator he i'm
| paleS. tomorrow a labor leader and the
next day a railroad king. The author
of nature stories gets his, as do the
| editor and the man who attempts Il
| quote presidential utterances.
In the matter Of diplomacy and OF
| foreign relations the Roosevelt admin
istration has challenged the attention
| of the world. Maintaining the integ
| rity of China, ending the war between
Russia and Japan, forcing Santo Do
mingo to pay her debts. restoring or
der in Cuba. forcing out Castro il
Venezuela, the creation Of the republic
of Panama and the purchase of thu
| French rights in the canal. the leadin,
| part taken by America in the Algeci
ras conference and in The Hagu,
| I'tdCe Iiit VI
the delicate situation with Japan ant
the virtual alliance finally made witt
that country and. greatest of all, TIL
forming of a closer union with all TIL
American republics-these and man.
other diplomatic results that we hav
brought about, or have aided in bring
ing about, form notable chapter II
our foreign relations and have give
President Roosevelt and Secretarie
Hay and Root worldwide fame. Neve
has America stood higher as n wOrl,
power than today. This is chiefly due
Of course, to the Spanish-Amerfca
war and TO our growth in population
wealth and commerce, but diplomac
has also had its part. Whatever W
may think of President Roosevelt a
home. there is no gainsaying his stand
ing abroad.
Secret of His Power.
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