The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-10-13
ROOSEVELT AS CANNON'S DIS.
CIPLE.

IHeouOTe hoOSeVelI Stdr mas DS-
gun to decline. He is at the begin
ming of the end of his power.
To hold this view it is not neces-
sary to blink the events of Tuesday;
on the contrary, we insist on their
great and manifest Importance.
Roosevelt has beaten the New York
"old guard" representing the most
perfectly adjusted and shamelessly
operated political machine in the
United States-with possible reser-
vations in favor of Rhode Island and
Cincinnati. By a majority of 1876
in the convention, the Republicans
of the state have preferred him to
the representative of the Barnes
Woodruff-Aldrich crowd, under whose
domination New York has seen
canal frauds, forest reserve frauds,
and graft and corruption of many
equally effective but less conspicuous
kinds. The former president marched
to the chairman's platform with" jim
Sherman, Vice President of the
United States and special represen-
tative of hings-as-they-are-in
York, chained to his victorious char
lot wheel.
1t is an important public service
to have beaten these men. Colonel
Roosevelt deserves the thanks of all
decent citizens of state and nation,
and we pause to acknowledge the
obligation.
But how has he used the victory,
and what are the omens for the fu-
ture? In politics, as Doctor Park
hurst once said, it is easier to win
victory than to use it. The selection
of the Colonel for the Craftsmanship
was Immediately followed by the pass
ing of resolution empowering the
chairman to name the Committees
on Credentials, Permanent Organ
ization and Resolutions. This, as
Speaker Wadsworth-for that day
and date, at least, champion of
popular rights-pointed out, was in
disregard of well-established prece-
dent, the naming of committee mem
bers having for years been assigned
to the district delegations.
The protest was unavailing. The
temporary chairman named the COM
mittees and the conventions organ
ization reflected the will of a single
man-Theodore Roosevelt.
We desire to point out that this
is Cannonism. Nothing is changed
except the man in the chair. The
despotism will be benevolent, of
course, but it is despotism, none
the less.
The same old specious arguments
will be used to bolster up the Roose-
welt regime that Cannon has employ
ed for so long. Was not the major
ity free and unconstrained in the
moment when it voted away all it's
rights in the matter of committee
appointments? And has the minori-
ty any rights at all under majority
government? Did not the members
kiss the rod with gladness? Has
not Roosevelt power to select bet
ter and more harmonious committees
than could the convention itself?
This is not the great question, but
suppose it were. How was the power
employed? The Committee on Reso-
lutions was made up to include
among others, William Barnes, jr..
leader of. the machine; Speaker
ellsworth, one of its chief pillars;
George w. Aldrich, Senator Cobb,
author of the defeated primary bill;
Seth Low, sometime reform mayor
of New York, Congressman Payne
and j. Sloat Fassett.
Here is a true Rooseveltian happy
family of political opposites-
at swords points on the fundament-
ais of governments, who, hating each
other, were inherently incapable of
honest agreement upon any common
code of political principles. Yet they
have reported platform of Repub-
can progressiveness which stultifies
every pretended conviction of half
the delegates who voted for it. In
practice it will be only the object of
their laughter and scorn.
This is Rooseveltism; on the theo-
retical side, the conveying of unlim-
tied power into the hands of benev-
client despot, and, on the practical
SIDE the yoking together in import
ant association of men going oppo-
site ways.
Does the country want it?-Repub-
lie.