Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-25
A SYMPOSIUM

4 T THIS time when Mr.. Roosevelt
n is under way on a long tour of
visiting and speech making which
could have been extended tenfold if
he had had the mind and the physical
capacity to accept all the invitations,
it is interesting to review the sympos-
ium of opinions concerning the man
gathered by the Worlds Work and
printed in recent issue. That publi-
cation polled 1000 of its readers at
time when there was some tendency to
mark his advent from Europe with
warnings in the form of references to
Elba, Napoleon and Caesar.
Before looking at these answers fair
ness and caution suggest one or two
considerations. The Worlds Work
stands for the distinctive Roosevelt
policies, conservation, the square deal
and without levity, the big stick. 1t
has identified itself so thoroughly with
the conservation movement that 1t has
no doubt built up class of subscrib-
ers who attach much importance to
this subject. 1t probably has Roose-
veltian constituency.
The questions were sent to 1000 sub
scribers, selected at random, an effort
being made to divide them equally be-
tween the different states and sections.
Answers were received from 426. 1t is
interesting to note that all but one of
the correspondents wrote seriously.
The first question, if Roosevelt was
spectacular and disturbing force,
brought SS2 anwers; 1853 no and twenty
nine yes. The third term objection
disqualified Mr.. Roosevelt for renomi-
nation with sixty-nine persons, and
failed to weigh against him with 80,
OF 375 answers to the third question
292 demanded Mr.. Roosevelt for presi-
dent again so that he may restrain the
predatory rich and give to every class
its proper privileges and no more than
its proper burdens" while eighty-three
opposed his denomination.
Offered an opportunity to suggest
other fields of usefulness than the
presidency, 103 correspondents men
toned the United States senate, thirty
three the house of representatives or
the speakership, thirty-two the editors
desk, and seven the New York COVER
norship. Fifteen or twenty suggestions
We're scattering.
The extracts printed show New Eng
land very reluctant about indorsing
Mr.. Roosevelt for any future official
responsibility.
"A great moral force, who can now
do his work better outside the White
House than in it," was probably the
most typical New England expression.
From the eastern states come mixed
opinions. From the middle west the
letters are largely enthusiastic, with a
sharp sprinkling of deprecatory re-
marks.
The western correspondents are al
most unanimously Rooseveltian. This
is natural. The division about conser-
walton is sharply drawn in the west
The Worlds Work is unlikely to have
many permanent subscribers there who
are not Rooseveltians.
If there is a surprise in the SYM
postum it is the preponderance Of
southern opinion favorable to the re-
nomination Of Roosevelt for the presi-
dency, and most of the replies were
from Democrats who asked that their
names be withheld. A year ago Mr..
Taft was strong in the south, but that
was largely as the legatee of Roose-
velt's work and personal favor. To-
day he probably would not have the
strength there that he had before he
had allied himself with the men who
are distinctly Roosevelt in sympa-
tbjas and ourpOqas