Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-11-17
NHAT OUR NElGHBORS SAY
Theodore RoOsev welt M the Central
Flgwve-What lie May Das
(Frem the Rutland News)

Tue campaign Culinlnetink IN the cleo
ton recently ccntered about Colonel
Roosevelt more OF less especially in New
York, where he grabbed the republican
state orgn nization and ran away with 1t.
In other States he had less to say, but
still people generally attribute republic
can defeat 10 him.
There Is no denying the strong anti
Roosevelt feeling In The Republican
pnrty. which feeling Is not Of resent
growth by the way; II was Just ~ strong
during the last two years OF his cecil
pancy OF the White House. hut Mr..
Roosevelt seems to have lost n part Of
his strength pinc~ returning from Africa:
when he wns president he could mend his
breaks with political offices. hut now that
he has no favors to hand out, his intem-
perate actions count heavily against him.
The trouble with Roosevelt Ia that no In
not consistent in all thinga. He breaches
tho right doctrine, hut while he was pres-
dent he accepted favors from "the inter-
ests" ana in fact did not hesitate to call
on them for help.
At the same time Roosevelt IL a modern
politician; he fights fire with nre The
interests that have been running the
country never carried a politician or pub
lie man they could not use, and Roose-
welt used the same method In dealing
with the interests. In fact he used their
| money to keep himself In office IN order
that he might destroy their political pow
or Not a very praiseworthy method Of
doing things It may be said. but still It
was only what the other side had been
doing right along.
| However. we do not doubt Housewife
| motives and purposes. nor do We belttie
his freat service in waking Zip the moral
sense of the people and putting In their
! hearts the principles OF progressiv eness
and reform Anybod! VINO mas any
doubts on this point need only compare
conditions now with those when Mark
! Hanna, republican. and Jim Guffey, dem
ocrat were the great political lights in
the two great parties. Certain il Is that
| Roosevelt has smashed things and pre-
pared the way, hut II has always been
doubtful whether he is constituted to
build the political ideals that he advo-
Gates He lacks the patience and the tact
required to do that. and for these reasons
It nigh; be better that men who possess
these qualifications take up the work
where he LEFT of
There is no doubt that there is a
changed feeling among the men who con-
troll the railroads and other great cor
porations relative to their duty toward
society; one has to go no further than
10 read the words of George W. Perkins,
a recent interview said that the railroads
| must hereafter consider the people AS
partners in their business. Think Of any
| ,si not. n,+i, ft,1, N Inc
| 10 years ago.
| 1t l. not unexpected that the democrats
made great gains in Tuesdays election.
| but their further success will not amount
to anything if they become reactionary.
They have got to make good or they will
be defeated in the following elections
Also in our humble opinion, the Demo
ratio party can never make any head
way as progressive party. as it is con-
trolled by the solid South. which is reac-
tionary and will remain reactionary the
next % years.
So far part of the Republican party
] Is driving the other part in the right
direction, although at the present mo-
mcnt their manner of marching is not
beautiful to look upon, but on the whole
they are moving upward Just the same
Roosevelt may be wiped of the slate
but there are plenty of wiser and cooler
heads to take his place ana these will
gather order out of chaos and the Re-
publican party will he the party of the
people just rs IL was in Abraham Lin
coins day.
Finally, the man Of tho hour Is VIII
liam Howard Taft, He. and probably he
alone. can save the country from the re-
dictionaries in 1917. He has tried the vel
vet touch and it has been partly sue
cessful. but now comes the time to o
the steam road roller and use ii. Tn,
people still believe that Taft is honest
and is with them and no man can 'romc
back" more quickly and effectively thar
! he.