Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-02-04
TEDolE's LATEST AUroeRAev.


a longer tenure I'm which % exhibit the
insolont and high handed methods
which he has adopted Of late as IL In
a very spirit OF bravado.
His petty despotism and autocra-y
reached a climax In his seizure Of Ger.
tain data Ia possession OF the bureau
Of corporations which. Il g. supposed
would throw light on the deal By
which the United States steel cor
poration acquired the Tennessee Coal
and Iron Company with the approval
OF the President himself. although the
merger was apparently In direct viola.
tiOn Of the antitrust act
Herbert Knox Smith. the commits
siOner OF corporations In the depart.
ment OF commerce and labor. testified
in unequivOcal terms that the data
he gathered for the President did not
come under the head OF confidential. q"
which, according 20 law. the President
could give out or not as he saw NJ.
Il was simply general information 20
which Congress is entitled on demand.
Getting wind OF the fact that the
judiciary committee Of the Senate. I'm
its Investigation Of the merger author
lied by the President. would demand
this data. Mr.. Roosevelt. with his usual
contempt for the legislative branch Of
the Government and defiance OF all
conventions. boldly demanded that
the commissioner OF corporations
should bundle up all this data and
send Il TO him.
This was done. and safely enclosed
in well-sealed sacks. Il now lies at
the White House. while the President,
In substance, cynically asks Of Con
gress. What are you going TO do
about it,"
He frankly cOnfesses that he prom
ised immunity to the steel trust IL Il
wanted TO go ahead aud cOnsummate
the merger Of the Tennessee Coal and
Iron Company. and in order 70 carry
out his promise Of protection he open
~ dehes the Senate judiciary commit
tee and the Senate itself
The foundations Of this republic are
50 firmly laid that assaults upon them
in the past have only served 20 awak-
en- an indulgent smile. The long.
haired anarchist and the political
Quacks Of various kinds have stirred
only q sort Of amused pity. The pill
lars Of the State were so broad that
no man gave himself any concern
about the impOtent rawlings Of this Ia
matte or that
But there Is no governmental struc-
ture on earth which could sustain the
persistent assaults which have been
made upon our own BY q man IN the
exalted station OF President Roosevelt
without feeliag the Effects Of his revO-
Intionary conduct like q blind Cy-
elOps he has been striking 70 right
and 20 left OF him, as II he wished 20
round out a dramatic administration
BY something supremely spectacular
and AudaciOus.
He has apparently delighted in CIV
ing a shock 10 precedents and tradl-
lions. He began 20 using the influence
Of his position as a campaign asset,
and IN the methods he adopted he
was no whit superior 20 the ward
politicians and the party bosses. He
INDUCED In bitter personalities to
ward Mr.. Bryan and other leading
Democrats and dragged the chief
magistrate into the political gutter.
He sent 20 Congress a message con
tanning the most amazing charges
ever preferred. In modern times. by
one branch OF Government against
another. In which he accused the mem
bers Of Congress with being az least
the benefciaries OF crime.
Called upon 10 explain, he was more
insolent and more insulting than be
fore.
He has instituted proceedings
against a newspaper for criminal libel
against himself and the Government,
without warrant OF any known law
and In violation OF many that are well
known. The defendant and Witnesses
were summoned without being inform
Cd as 90 who lodged the complaint
.rr.Evaf fhar1a aud What lnw they were