The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-16
A ROOSEVELT INTERPRETATION

Mr., Sydney Brooks, very compe-
tent and experienced writer, cautious
and discreet, gives IN ''Tbe Living
Age for September 9th general
summary in his own language of his
talks with Col. Roosevelt He shows
that the break between President Taft
and Col. Roosevelt was inevitable, the
two men are so different in tempera-
ment. in methods, and i'll mental pro-
cesscs. Mr.. Brooks thinks that 1t is
quite impossible for Taft and Roosevelt
TO work together. and of all the candi.
dates suggested for the Presidency, it
is Mr. Brooks : opinion that Col,
Roosevelt would be more likely to sup
port Governor Wilson of New Jer-
sey than Taft or any one else named,
except only for the party ties which
bind Roosevelt to the Republican
party, and his very strong recognition
of the strength of those ties.
As for Col. Rooseyclt's attitude to-
wards the Presidency, Mr., Brooks
states the Roosevelt position in Brooks S
words, thereby avoiding any chance Of
being consigned to the Ananias Club
by undertaking to quote Roosevelt di-
rect. On this point Mr., Brooks says:
In the ordinary sense OF the words. Mr..
Roosevelt Is not. and does not expect 10
be A candidate for the Presidency, lie
feels he has had his fair share OF office.
has done some pretty big thinys-start-
ing the Panama Canal. reorganizing San
Domingo. and sending the fleet round the
world, are the achievements he looks
back upon with the greatest pr!de-and
has written his name deep on American
history. Nobody can accuse him-he
cannot even accuse himself-of having
shirked the call of public duty, He has
built up a monument of which he is not
ashamed; after eight wears In the White
House he can fairly claim that he has
done a good days work, His record
stands. and he is willing to be Judged
by II.
In considering the details of the
Presidential work, and the efforts 10
get the nomination by promising posi-.
tions here and there, TewardIug his
supporters some with a cabinet posi-
tion, others with foreign ministry, all
this, Mr.. Brooks says ''has less than
no attraction for the Roosevelt of to.
day" He has been through all that
mill, and doesn t like it. But,
on the other hand, he does not feel
himself in any way debarred from ac-
ceptlng another nomination. But the
nomination, | sather-though he Is the
last man TO put IL so abruptly-must seek
him: he will not seek IL. II some great
national crisis were TO arise. and the
American people were to take II into
their heads that he and ne alone. could
big job were clamoring to be done. and
popular opinion pointed Enthusiastically
and overwhelmingly 10 Mr.. Roosevelt as
The man TO do II. then the eXPresdent
the White House once more. But 1t must
be National and moi merely party
emergency. Mr.. Roosevelt viii not again
acccp, another nomination merely to get
the Republicans out of a hole or save
them from being pushed into one. Only
a call from practically the whole country
will again drag him into the Presidential
arena. and the prospects OF such a call
coming 10 him he regards. not, indeed as
lnconcciyablc or impossible, but as In the
highest degree improbable.
Those who are conversant with the
political situation of the country will
quite agree with Mr.. Brooks that such
call upon Mr., Roosevelt is in the
highest degree improbable, And in such
n case, there would he no trace about
it. Further, it can fairly be said that
if such crisis as that did arise. Mr..
Roosevelt would be almost the last man
in the country who would be reason
ably supposed able 10 cope with il.
President Taft is ncomparably a safer
man than Mr. Roosevelt, and the peo-
II .1,b
unanimity rather than 20 Roosevelt, if
there was any real crisis that would
call for the united action Of the peo-
pie without regard TO party lines.
President Taft is \ man that could,
with sound Judgment and equable tenn
per, respond TO such call: Colonel
Roosevelt could not. His temperament
is such that he would inevitably stir
up strife rather than quoll il; he would
make sensations rather than allay
them; he is guarrelsome and not a
peacemaker; he j. dogmatic and not
| piacablc. he is headstrong and not con-
sidcratc. He is, in fact. just the man
to stir up a crisis and make strife; and
| a. - Juet tue SUI I VI l'dh '""' ''p''
allay the trouble that Roosevelt and
others like him might make,
Mr. Brooks, in taking upon himself
the Interpretation of Col. Roosevelt 8
attitude. does the wise thing. He thus
relieves Roosevelt of all responsibility
for what he says, and at the same time
gives what is undoubtedly very ac-
curate and faithful portrayal of the
| RnaaaEalt so IN Of nd nd rf tbn
captivity of Col. Roosevelt with re,
| spect TO the Presidency,