The Washington herald., 1912-08-19
Mr.. Roosevelt on the Stump.

f
Mr.. Roosevelt, in his opening speech
of his campaign for the Presidency, de-
1ivered in Massachusetts, has done jus,
what he was expected to do in the linz
OF mud singing by calling Mr.. Tafr
dead issue" II was an unnecessary
and tactless attack, which, as he
himself proved during his speech, had
nothing to do with the matters he weni
there to discuss.
His speeches to the Bay State audi.
ences were expressed with a good deal
more than his usual rhetorical force
They were couched in lofty morality
and altruism, chosen by him deliber-
ately for the presentation of his third
term efforts, but which fitted lily IL
his vitriolic and vituperative explo-
sions.
The sentiment to which Roosevelt,
now appeals is virtue and strength, the
forces that have advanced our race
from its low beginnings more than any
others. OF course, he tries to persuade
his hearers that he is sincere and his
methods practical and intelligent II
he succeeds in convincing those he sad-
dresses he will gain just that mich
support.
Mr.. Roosevelt's aim is to satisfy the
people that he is the embodiment OF
their resentment of the reign of priv
ilege" While there is such a political
issue and even such a political situa-
ton it is doubtful whether he can con-
vince the great mass of our intelligent
citizens that he is sincere in his many
and variegated promises. For he has
made many before, which let US say
were conveniently forgotten"
What has Mr.. Roosevelt done dur
ing the almost eight years when he
was at the head of our government 10
abate what he now calls the corrupt
rule of the privileged" and its evil
consequences? Nothing but talk. al
truistic talk, lot of promises. Moth
ing, absolutely nothing! We rscollect
that he refrained from doing ANYTHING
in his first term. when it was plain that
resistance to the tariff extortions
would cost him his denomination.
Does this mean sincerity? No!
And it will be applied to his present
advocates and promises, never. fear.
The average American citizen is long
suffering and patient, but he says with
Lincoln: ''You can fool all the people
some of the time; some of the people
all of the time, but you cannot fool all
of the people all of the time"
Roosevelt, in short, has been found
out His professed purpose as to the
future will not help him, for it will
not be believed! To him well applies
the old German saying: "Wer einmaI
luegt dem glaubt man NIGHT und wenn
er auch die Wahrheit sprichtr He in
tends to fool the American people
again, in order to satisfy his lust. his
craving for power, for absolutism, his
almost paranoiac desire to have his ex-
aggerated ego ever in the limelight.
Most of the Massachusetts speeches
were devoted to a fervent advocacy of
industrial amelioration (much needed
in that State) and general denuncia-
ton OF the courts for preventing il.
But his attack on the courts is, as is
usual with him, based upon misrepre-
sentation and exaggeration. A reason
able analysis of his professions and his
ideas, as he has thus far defined them,
shows rather an Intellectual conception
OF the vast and important subject
which he is attempting to handle.
Protestations of superior humanity
may sound well from a pulpit, but
what the American people want to be
convinced of is this: Is Theodore
Roosevelt so peculiarly fit to be our
President as he himself tries to make
US believe. despite an unsatisfactory
past record?