Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

variety or sacrificing first place among
the heroes OF the headlines.
II was probably John Adams who, in tho
sourness OF his retirement 20 that quiet
home near the roadside in Quincy" de-
scrtbed himself az that melancholy prod
uct Of the American governmental system.
an ex-presldent.' While the description
certainly does not fit our own ex~-president,
It aid not widely miss the mark in the
cases of some Of his predecessors.
jefferson parted with little Of his influ-
ence on political affairs when he closed the
White House door behind him, and was the
guide, philosopher and friend Of two presl-
dents chosen for the succession by himself.
Nevertheless, even he had TO lament that
he was saved from being turned nike a
dog out Of DOORS only by the generous
subscriptions OF friends.
Washington could exalt to the respect
Of his countrymen the DUH routine Of a
Virginia farm, to which he returned at the
close OF his public life. None Of his sue
cessors could have stood so severe q test.
The father Of his country hardly left his
estate except to go to store or church in
the neighboring town of Alexandria.
That towering character needed neither
troops nor courtiers to maintain his natural
dignity. He made no public appearance or
public addresses; yet a private hint or a
personal note from him remained to the
end of his days more powerful in effect
than the messages of the president or ora
lions in congress. There Is a story that
while he was dying a messenger was actu-
ally on his way to Mt. Vernon to beg him,
in behalf of the demoralized federalists, to
take into his strong hands again the relns
Of government and stand for a third term.
One OF Jefferson's disciples In the presl-
dency was brought low in influence as well
as in purse. : The hurrying throngs In the
little streets OF lower New York passed
almost unnoticed the bent and shabby Mon
roe as, with basket on his arm, he went
marketing for the table OF his son-in-law,
on whose bounty he was a dependent In his
last days. Hayes, although provided with
a snug inheritance, s~traightway disappeared
from the Inauguration Of his successor into
political obscurity. The last time he was
seen in Washington he marched as q simple
comrade in the ranks of the Grand Army.
Van Buren,, Fillmore and Grant turned to
foreign travel. None of them, however,
strayed far from beaten paths, as Mr.,
Roosevelt has done.
Expect the Unexpected.
The only safe prophecy is that Mr.. Roose-
welt will continue to keep out of the beaten
paths at home as abroad. Any attempt at
a closer forecast of his future is futile. His
course cannot be scheduled in advance.
Circumstances will shape It.
Those who expect him to do the unex-
pected probably stand the best chance to
win their guess. This Is ever the way with
natural men. All signs fail when they
com along. They are most likely not to
do h others think they will do.
Many prophets seem to assume now that
Mr.. Roosevelt will step at once from his
ship into his old place as the active, mill
tant chief of his party. slap the insurgents
on the back, whack everyone else over the
head and never stop until he re-enters the
White House at the end Of Mr.. Taft's pres
ent term. But they consult their wishes
rather than the oracles.
Most of these same soothsayers believed
in the first place that he would never really
give up the presidential chair in 1908, and
now they are as firmly persuaded that he
will pull it from under his successor in
1912. The event may contradict them again
as sharply as It did before.
Power without office.
Meanwhile, it is only certain that no
president ever more deliberately and per-
sistently refused to continue in the office,
or, having relinquished it, ever went as far
away as Africa to escape all connection
with the place. Moreover. Mr.. Roosevelt
may find when he comes back that he can
have power without office and exert more
Influence than a president with a senate
at his heels.
That someone will get the big stick in
due course we can all foretell without a
horoscope, but the Lord only knows
whether It will smite the insurgents or their
antagonists. Under the circumstances, 1t
behooves everyone to be good and look out.
Uncle Dudley in Boston Globe.