Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-03-12

From the Brooklyn Eagle.


President. But one election to the
Office fell to him. As, however, he Is
the only Vice. President who acceded
TO the Presidency since Jefferson, and
the first one whatever by election OF
the people, his distinction is unique.
He has always assumed that he was
twice President, as Mr.. Mckinley so
soon died after reelection. The night
of his election he published a card de-
claring that he would not be again a
candidate, and there Is no evidence that
he has ever been tempted or will ever
be tempted again to seek the office.
1t is just to believe that the many
who have predicted or assumed that
he would accept a denomination in the
future have been wrong, whether his
friends or his opponents. He manifestly
meant to bar himself forever when he
barred himself from what he called a
third term. Washington's aversion to
that Mr.. Roosevelt shares, and Grants
dalliance with 1t Mr.. Roosevelt regrets.
Many are the surmises Of what he
will do, attempt or become in public
life hereafter, By conversation be has
committed himself as positively
against becoming a United States SEN
ator as against another Presidency.
Declarations will abound, however, to
a contrary effect in both cases. The
American mind Is prone TO carve fu-
lures for others. Death, decrepitude
or insanity alone closes the gate of
preferment to prediction in the case of
so extraordinary a man as Theodore
Roosevelt is.
Into his retirement from the Presi-
.dency he carries the credit of having
nominated his successor. He did more
20 nominate him than any other man
but Mr.. Taft would likely have been
nominated on q third or fourth BALLOT,
had Mr.. Roosevelt stood absolutely
neutral between aspirants. The Presl-
dent-elect unites record, temperament,
fellowship, versatile service and an ap-
of antagonism, which would have
made the nomination eventually grayl-
tate to him. Mr.. Roosevelt, however,
favored the proof of his ability, to
name Mr.. Taft on the first ballot, as
Rmuch as he did his successors nominal
,tlon at al. Mr.. Taft's nomination Is
las much a proof of Mr.. Roosevelts
preference for a successor, not IN MS
likeness, as could be furnished. The
popularity of Mr.. Taft on that account
is also evident. But the significance OF
Mr.. R~oosevelt's support of Mr.. Tart Is
as marked as the satisfaction and hope
OF many, because Mr.. Taft himself, lis
so different from MI. Roosevelt"
Radical as Mr.. Roosevelt Is, or Is
Thought to be, he exploited his W re-
gard for conservatism by bis prescrip-
Lion of Mr.. Taft as thoroughly as the
people did theirs, by Mr.. Taft's over
whelming election.
MIR. Roosevelt has been a man of adj
ministration. In his first Presidency
he adhered as closely TO his promise to
preserve Mr.. McKinley's policy as a
man of his temperament possibly could.
We think that limitation fretted him,
but he was under no obligation to
maintain 1t, during his second term.
The President, as an administrator, has
done more things with or against the
appreciation of Congress than almost
any President that ever lived. He has
carried the personal or the prerogative
or the official powers of the Presidency
beyond all previous limits. He has
made the Congress more impatient
with or hostile to him than any other
Executive, with the exception of
Andrew Jackson, John Tyler and An
drew johnson. But, unlike Tyler or
johnson, he did not break with the
party that elected him.
Neither jefferson nor Cleveland ex-
cited SO much Congressional opposition
as Mr.. Roosevelt has done, great as the
Congressional opposition to them was.
Both were able in emergencies to arouse
Congress to a united support of their
policy, but Mr.. Roosevelt has been con-
fronted with no such emergency or
opportunity, that we recall. Rightly
or wrongly, however, it has been against
MIR. Roosevelt that the party machines
in states have been able to elect Sena-
tors and Representatives opposed to
him, but, in most instances, still afraid
of him. 1t has been his good fortune
TO have the people with him, ever
though their so-called representatives
have been against him.
Congressional districting and Sena-
aorships filled by Legislatures are ac-
,countable for Mr.. Roosevelt's want of
support in both Houses, since his cleo
tion In 1904. But the great mass of