The Washington herald., 1910-09-01
R0OSEVELTS KEYNOTE.

Theodore Roosevelt the man. not The
odore Roosevelt the President is speak
ing now. but the country is listening to
him, and the far-reaching influence Of his
words cannot safely be discounted.
His speech at Osawatomie is the most
weighty utterance Of his Western trip
his keynote. or slogan-and It will appeal
and appeal nightly. to the restless
masses now rebening against conditions,
political and economic.
That he IS in fun accord with the in
surgent or progressive wing OF his party
IN hearty sympathy with the revolt started
IN Congress and spreading through the
land, there is no longer the remnant Of
a doubt
Without Roosevelt, the progressive
movement had gained tremendous head
way. With him, It is destined 70 ac-
quire a momentum that will make for
the greatest upheaval, politically. Amer
ica has ever seen.
He is with Bristow and CumrIns and
Dolliver. standing for what they have
stood for, and It follows that he IS with
Beverage and all the other antago-
nists OF the administration, including La
Toilette. He not only approves, but ap-
plauds. their course. This Is evident
A progressive OF progressives, his Osa-
watomie deliverance. carefully thought
out. and shaped 10 fit the time and stu
alton. at once proclaims his leadership
1t means the beginning OF a political
revolution which may shake 10 their very
foundation some Of the cherished instI-
tutions Of this republic: but the coun-
try will OF course. come out Of It great
and strong. So It has been with every
crisis in the nations affairs.
It is impossible to grasp the meaning of
all the doctrines preached by Roosevelt
From the dawn Of the world. men have
acquired millions. Swollen fortunes are
peculiar 70 no nation or cline. When
the millennium comes. man may then take
only the dollar he has honestly earned
and be possessed Of riches on the one
condition that he benefit the community
IN the gaining and the spending Of his
wealth. But the millennium is not at hand
nor IS its advent likely TO be fastened
by the preacher and doctrinaire however
sincere and Jealous. or by apostle and
crusader. however strong in number
Beyond proper regulations. by wav of
taxing incomes and inheritances. and the
supervision Of corporate organizations nv
necessary legal safeguards. even a most
progressive government would find #
impossible to go.
But as the champion and defender Of
human rights-the rights OF man as
against the rights OF property-Roose-
welt has a sympathetic audience OF the
masses. and his teachings may be ex-
pected TO stir the populace as did the
teachings Of voltaire and Rousseau in
their day and generation long ago.
1t is more than political. this move.
ment that has taken hold Of the West
and it bids fair 10 lose its partisan phase
in its development The time IS ripe for
It. and nobody knows but that Il NAV
even now forecast the destruction Of both
the old parties. Certainly. It means death
to the party machine; death to party
bossism. and death to the domination
by selfish interests Of our political az
fairs. Meaning this. and II It mean only
this. the ultimate outcome may be await
ed with the utmost hope and confidence
All the vague and indefinite issues
promulgated in righteous and attractive
platitude will rapidly be compressed into
the one real and burning issue Of popu-
lar governments government responsive
to the peoples will. and in which the
people shall have direct and active part
Roosevelt yesterday declared anew for
the direct primary. publicity, and a cor
rupt-practice act TO govern the electorate
and in favor OF the recall system 70
reach the derelict official. In this one