Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-15
RooseveIt's shrewd Move.

| Political Washington apparently
accepts Walter Wellman's cable to
the effect that ex-President Roose-
welt will positively refuse to take a
| hand in the approaching congression-
al elections as solution of the prob
| lem which has Vexed so many minds:
VIII Roosevelt condemn or endorse
the Taft administration?
The democrats accept the ex-
presidents pledge of non-interfer-
ence with satisfaction; the standpat-
ter faction of the republican party
accept it with keen disappointment,
and the progressives are not dis
pleased. But the principal fact and
the most important fact is that all
parties and factions of parties ac-
cept the Wellman story as having
been inspired by Roosevelt himself.
The Wellman version of how
Roosevelt intends to get from IN
der" an exceedingly difficult load is
accepted here because it looks
mighty logical. Should the express
ident come home and go on the
stump for the progressives it would
necessarily imply his dissatisfaction
with the Taft administration. By dis
owning Mr.. Taft, Roosevelt would
admit that he enticed the American
people into electing as president a
man unfit for the office.
On the other hand. should Col
oneI Roosevelt endorse the Taft ad-
ministration, it would necessarily
also be an endorsement of Aldrich-
ism and Cannonism, for the two
bosses have run the government COM
pletely since March 4, 1909. Should
Roosevelt place his approval on
Aldrich and Cannon, he would alien
ate the affections and confidence of
hundreds of thousands of Americans
who have approved of his admins
trations.
In taking a non-committal atti-
tude, Roosevelt may be condemned
by some, but on the whole it would
appear to be the shrewdest move
he could possibly make.
Who will benefit by RooseveIt's
announced policy? The democrats
and progressives will undoubtedly
reap many a vote on account of it,
and the standpattsrs realize the dan
ger only too well.
1.-THE Taft administration has been
so bad Roosevelt was afraid to en-
dorse It," is what you may expect
to hear the democrats and progress
sive republicans proclaiming from
the stump in the congressional cleo
tions this fall. And that explanation
Of the Roosevelt, policy of non-in-
reference will come pretty close to
hitting tho nail co11araIv on tho hand
Roosevelt is a republican, first, last
and all the time. He could endorse
the republican party with fervor I'M
der ordinary circumstances. But the
party Is in the hands of such a wick
ed and unprincipled gang of poll
ticians at the present time that Mr..
Roosevelt would have to sacrifice his
reputation to come to the aid of the
Aldrich's and the Cannon's. And he
himself evidently sees that with pub
lie sentiment as it is, he cannot at
ford to do It.
So it is quite evident, after all,
that Colonel Roosevelt has not been
so completely isolated from the
United States OF America that he has
failed to keep in touch with the
trend of things political
President Roosevelt has deliber-
ately assumed an attitude of absolute
non-interference in political AFFAIRS
cables Wellman from Renk, Egyp-
tian Soudan. He will make no effort
to influence public judgment. He
may make a few addresses in Amer
lea, but these will be non-political."
Wise, wise Colonel Roosevelt.