Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-06
HITS At ROOSEVELT
French Newspapers Caustic in
Their Comments.
CALLED "MODERN CAESAR"
Reporters at Naples Find Him CAB
sorbed in Himself"
HAS DISPOSITION TO PREACH
Credited With Saying That An
American President Has More
Power Than Kings.

PARIS. April 6-The French press is
displaying great interest and curiosity in
Theodore Roosevelt.
When the Caesar Of modern democ-
racy goes hunting Europe, Asia, Africa
and America climb to their windows and
watch the caravan OF publicity pass" is
the way one OF the papers describes Mr..
Roosevelt's journey to east Africa.
A majority of the French correspond
ents sent to Naples to chronicle their i'm
pressions of Mr.. Roosevelt say that the
former President Of the United States is
absorbed in himself. They describe his
cabin as filled with his own books and
Uttered with photographs of himself and
the members of his family. They say
that the only object not relating to Mr..
Roosevelt himself in his cabin was pho
tograph of Emperor William bearing the
imperial signature in green ink.
Disposition to Preach.
Mr.. Roosevelt talked freely. but princi-
pally about himself and his work, the cor
respondents said, and he manifested a
disposition to preach" In his conversa-
ton he touched upon his Knickerbocker
ancestry and his experiences as a ranch
he said he had been elected to the presi-
dency as a representative of honesty
against the power of gold.
Il have always maintained that probity
in private life is indispensable to public
A. l.
Il have fought the oil kings and the
steel emperors; they tried to break my
back, but my back is still intact. The
truth is they showed less resistance than
expected. The fuedal barons OF modern
finance have less energy than the feudal
lords Of ancient Europe"
Continuing, Mr. Roosevelt referred te
his pride in the presidency and the in.
creases in the American navy and army.
by preparing for war; the former
President is quoted as having said. 81
was able to calm the impetuosity OF
young America against Japan"
"More Powerful Than q King"
Mr.. Roosevelt is further quoted as hav-
ing said that the President of the United
States was more powerful than any con-
stitutional monarch of Europe. He point
ed out, the French correspondents aver.
that he possessed the power Of veto; that
he appointed the entire diplomatic corps
and the high governmental functionaries.
and that he was a maker Of treaties with
only the consent of the Senate, which he
characterized as the national regulator" :"
He said that for two years. while Presi-
dent, he spent his time in fighting the
trusts and that he rejoiced that he had
left behind an America. where the only
king was the state.
'"The machinery Of state will now roll
on without me-" Mr.. Roosevelt is quoted
as saying, but with the impetus I have
given Mr.. Taft. my good successor. will
build the Panama canal, continue to in
crease the army and navy and check the
trusts if they again become too obstrep-
erous."
Mr.. Roosevelt paid a high tribute to
complished nothing when he entered pol
itics without the press. AS Journalist
himself he had fought the Utopias Of
Tolstoi and the excesses OF the revolu-
tionary propaganda. Newspapers and
books are instruments of action for me" >"
Mr.. Roosevelt declared. "Journalism
should not be content to sell what the
public wants to buy: it should raise and
not lower the public taste"
Kaiser's "Better Breeding"
One of the French correspondents con-
cludes his account of Mr.. Roosevelt's 8
visits to Naples with these words:
"Mr. Roosevelt is impatient to reach the
hunting grounds. He said no word Of the
beauties of Naples or Of the art treasures
to be seen there. He understands nothing
of these gateways to an ancient civihza-
ton, of these eternal consultations in the
sky Of history. Emperor William dis
played nobler breeding when he asked to
be left alone before a marble bust at
frmed the eternity OF beauty.
"Mr. Roosevelt has no time to lose: he
is off to the hunt with much noise. II the
wild beasts Of the desert are not warned
it is because they do not receive the
newspapers"
Dnacrurrn Mrrrc HrNn