The Washington times., 1910-06-19
Roosevelt Holds Pivotal Po-
Sition in Nations Pub
lie Affairs.
BASIS OF HIS HOLD
UPON AMERICANS
Review Of Performances in White
House Explains Unlimited Con-
fdence in Former President.
By John SNURE.

Oy JUN ON hE-
With the return Of Theodore Roose-
welt. Oyster Bay becomes the center of
political attention for the whole coun-
try.
Where MacGregor sits, there is the
head of the table and, by the same
token, where Roosevelt is, there IS the
political capital. For weeks and months.
perhaps years 10 come.-1he public eve
is going to be riveted on Oyster Bay,
looking, at each recurring political
crisis. for a sign from the former
President
Americans are proverbiaIly tickle and
the high esteem in which Roosevelt is
held may vanish overnight. Neverthe-
less, ii is beyond peradventure today
that he is by long odds the most potent.
the most compelling political figure in
the United States.
Il is not strange that in the White
House, with the power to employ the
tremendous machinery OF that office.
he was great political force. II is
remarkable that out Of office. he should
stin be looked up 10 by the different
factions Of his party, in fact by the
members Of all parties, as no less 20
tential than when he sat in the White
House. This generation Of Americans.
at least. has experienced no other such
personality.
Political Potentially.
The welcome given 10 Roosevelt when
he landed in New York would not have
been given to any man. no matter who.
had he not been live political force.
II anyone suspects that Roosevelt is
out Of politics, let him reflect to what
extent the welcome accorded him was
political
He was greeted with a demonstration
such as few men in the worlds history
have had because down at bottom there
is planted a belief In the minds Of the
people that somehow or other he is
going to exercise a vast influence in
their political anairs, which are more
and more closely linked with their eco
nOmic affairs II was by no means
solely in tribute to the past perform
ances Of Roosevelt that he was hon
ored when he landed in this country
yesterday. but it was also the express
sion Of confidence that Roosevelt would
yet do great things for the public vel
fare in the future.
In every town, village, and hamlet
In the country, at every corner. grocery
and every club, the political question
most discussed just now is what Roose-
welt is going 10 do or say in a political
way.
"Wiu Roosevelt run for President
aEain?" is what every one is asking,
and nobody knows quite how 10 answer.
Basis of His Power.
1t is worth while in this connection to
nj IN ri ha
dOre Roosevelt as a big political factor
and see what there is about that career
that has led the public 10 have the IN
bounded confidence it has in him. That
confidence exists. despite the fact that
when Roosevelt was President he was
TOUndly abused from many quarters.
He was cordially hated by the Senate
and House leaders and, not infrequently
attacked from the floor He was the
subject, too, of many virulent news
paper attacks. President Taft has re-
Gently spoken in complaining terms of
the attitude of the newspapers toward
himself but he has never been sub
jected 10 the bitter eXcoriation that
Roosevelt experienced.
When Roosevelt became President on
September A. 1901, be was a popular
figure because of the part he had taken
In the war with Spain as head Of the
Rough Rider regiment, because Of the
fact he had pursued an independent
course, as was generally believed, in the
office Of governor of New York, and
because Of such things about his career
as police commissioner of New York and
member Of the Civil Service Commission.
as showed him 20 be militant believer
ia cleaner and better government and
something a good deal above the aver
age seeker for office.
Nevertheless, there was much miSgiv-
Ing when the kindly, pliable Mckinley
died al the hands OF an ASSASSIN and a
compare lively untred young man OF
forty-three stepped into his shoes. Even