St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-04-16
ROOSEVELT, PROBABLY.

An editorial by Henry Watterson, depict
ing Roosevelt as modern Napoleon, with
hint that despotic reign is in preparation
for America with Roosevelt at the helm, is
attracting attention. Mr.. Watterson adds
History has agreed that the best Of all govern
ment is wise and benevolent despOtlsm. II the
of the United States, under our written
constitution of checks and balances, be failure
as many think it-and if there be needed for its ex-
take all the bulls of corruption by the horns and
gardless of all obsolete legal restraints to snake
the life out of them, them indeed Theodore Roose-
welt would seem one fitted by temperament, educa-
ton and training for the work.
And concluding he says:
Before we get into the acrimonies Of party con-
ict the Courrier-J Journal asks its contemporaries
throughout the country to reflect without passion or
levty and to answer to themselves, amid the Dlaze
of light which casts aureole about the wandering
Ulyses. whether representative government IN
America is failure and whether the only cure Tor
evils which are admitted is the one man power; pc
Roosevelt to power will be SO construed by Europe
and that on this account the demonstration OF mon
archism has it's chief significance.
That man so eminently fitted to be OF
service to a democracy, whose every action
has shown him to be above the influence OF
power or money, with no indication OF SUBJ
serviency to the exalted or pliancy to the
demagogue, should be viewed in this light
seems hardly reasonable.
That he is man fitted to the task OF
bringing order out of chaos and OF resculng
the people from the despotic power that is
welded by the Eastern States in the United
states Senate and by the capitalistic class
has SO possessed the people that nothing VIII
avail to keep him out of the presidential
chair If he elects to run.
II has gotten to be that the distinctive fea-
ture of the two parties South is traced IN the
color line, with the tariff so strongly local
;ssue that platforms are disregarded and the
disruption of parties threatened. The dis
affection in the Republican party IS so great
that large Democratic gains may be expected
IN the House. The most we can expect IS
+ha control Of this body. We believe that
with the help of the Democratic party Roose-
Welt would accomplish more for the South
th., anv man who could be placed in the
presidential chair.
The neonle are becoming tired Of machine
r,1a The South has suffered more from
tho effects of this than any other section.
with the centralized capital OF the East
AGAINST it. it will never be able, except by
combination with other forces, to secure to
itself a Just proportion of the benlflts OF a
democratic form Of government.
No matter what foreign countries may o e.,
sire or think, the American government VIII
ranain in the hands of the people Inc
reaching up in high places for the punish :
mont Of graft, the growing popularity OF
Tho referendum and the commission govern
wont and the tendency to favor quallhca-
+;ons above machine endorsement all point
~ > growing inclination of the people to
stand for "a government by the people and
for the people. Roosevelt knows that nat any ny
81 at+emnt at one-man power, beyond the &C
aonn1ishment Of those things which are
s;rhteous and just, would lose to MN the
.,..ast;oe he has won and result in his down
81, n9'' His popularity is due to the fact that
- has done what he believed to be r1gnt'
. - of consequences.