The citizen., 1910-04-01
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Cen
eraI Topics from
the Capital.
March asth. 1910.

March 2Sth, 1910.
1t would require one OF versatile. if not
of kaleidoscope power to depict the
political situation which centers AT Wash
| ington, or Is it at Cairo. now. With
Speaker Cannon spiked and with an over
whelming but inharmonious majority in
Congress anticipating defeat in coming
elections, and with the President as rep.
resentatlve of the policies of his popular
predecessor isolated in the midst OF his
| predecessors friends, the situation is
unique in American politics. The Im-
pending Roosevelt is close to the Sphinx,
and is as silent in all matters relating to
home politics. and all eyes in America
are turned to Sheppard'S S Hotel in Cairo
rather than to the White House in Wash
| ngton. 1t is indeed curious that a private
American citizen Tor are not ex-presdents
| private citzens2) emerging from wears
absence in Africa and at present distant
| by 5000 miles of sea, should be more DO
tent than any or all statesmen in Wash
ington in the midst of a congressional
session. The inappropriate return from
Elba' Simile has been worn TO irazzeS
There is nothing in it. Roosevelt is too
big man for the role of a selfish am
been a sell-imposed, strenuous tour de
luke In two months he will set foot on
American soil refreshed in body and mind,
and by that time au courant of all that
! has been done and is doing.
Friends Of the Secretary of the Interior
are anxious relative to the effect which
the action of the eX-President is cabling
| the eX-Forester to meet him in Europe
is conducting the Ballinger Pinchot inves-
tigation 1t is intimated that Mr.. Balin-
gers supporters have up to the present
time been fully convinced that the Secre-
tary of the Interior would get majority
| report from the committee favorable TO
| himself but now there is much apprehen
sion as to the result They take the view
that if it is understood that Roosevelt is
in sympathy with Pinchot, the committee
| will hesitate to support Ballinger by en-
dorsing his course with regard to land
| reservations. Mr.. Pincho's friends have
all along insisted that the majority of the
committee was carefully selected for the
purpose OF keeping Pinchots friends off
| of il, and that it contains throughout
some strong Ballinger advocates There
is not northern or western State that is
| llOl SWdtllulS WIFI EOiANldliS StdiNllS
on tiptoe or with their ears to the ground
waiting to know the attitude OF the ex-
! President, waiting to hear what he will
say or see what he will do, well knowing
that his popularity is so great that it will
effect for better or worse their political
ambitions.
1t is evident that Mr.. Roosevelt will not
| talk for publication about home political
| IL l., r. A
soil, but when, with clean slate and with
undiminished popularity, he returns to
this country, can he be SILENT No, not
though he should be speechless and pen
less His very looks. actions, greetings
and meetings would be subject of politi-
cal controversy. Mr. Roosevelt cannot
help acting-not as actors act not with
stage effect, but from an inherent neces-
sity Of outgiving and speaking out. AS
| distinguished writer once said of him,
"He does not wear his heart on his
sleeve, but he wears his mind there" No
one needs to ask twice what Mr. Roose-
welt thinks and when Mr. Roosevelt acts,
no stage smaller than a continent or
planet will serve HIM. In the complete
isolation enjoyed by him for the last
twelve months after eight years of the
most energetic political activity ever en-
| loyed or endured by an American states
man or president, with the exception
perhaps of Abraham Lincoln, it may be
assumed that his reflections in the solitude
of African veldt and forest have led to
! conclusions with reference to the welfare
and the progress of his country that will
find expression sooner or later in our
national laws and politics.
The insurgents Of the country, as their
enemies call them, the 'progressives, as
they call themselves, are anxious for the
return of ex-President Roosevelt They
anticipate in him champion. They have
in black and white, in speech and mes
sage, his utterances that have been their
rallying cry.