New-York tribune., 1912-03-16
la TOILETTE GIVES HIS
OPINION OF ROOSEVELT
Says He Never Mastered Great
Railroad and Economic
Problems.
COUNTRY OWES HIM MUCH
Not to Blame for 1907 Panic, but
Missed Great Opportunity to
Bring Trusts Under
Control.

| Bismarck. ~ D., March Ex-senator la
Toilette made a dramatic bid for prefer
ence at next weeks North Dakota Presi-
dental primaries to-day and gave his opin-
| ion of Theodore Roosevelt. This occurred
at Mandan. something more than one hun.
dred miles from the scenes of Colonel
Roosevelts ranching days at Medora.
Senator La Toilette was closing his
speech, which dealt principally with the
initiative, referendum and recall. the Sher-
man antitrust law and the 1907 panic, wher
a gray haired ranchman In the audience in.
terrupted him.
WHO was President when you say these
things should have been done?' the ranch
man asked.
! Roosevelt was President" replied Sen
ator La Toilette, but l want you to know
| that | don't believe he was to blame for
tho panic. 1t was a Wall Street panic. |
don't want TO be unfair to any one. No, no
Pat do say that with the right as Presi-
dent to secure the things for the people
went the responsibility. Roosevelt passed
by wonderful opportunity there.
| But now that you have brought him
before this meeting to-day want to tell
you something about Theodore Roosevelt
| want to tell YOU this: The people OF this
country owe Theodore Roosevelt a debt OF
gratitude. Mean and stingy indeed is the
mind that cannot credit him for what he
has done. Few Presdents-none since
Lincoln-did more to set before the people
right moral standards, particularly regard
ing the holding of public office
| However, no one knew Roosevelt better
| than he knew himself. He knew that h
had no liking for the plodding research
and study necessary to master these grea
economic problems And he knew tina
he had never studied the great railroads o.
this country and their bearing upon th'
situation that | have described to you. So
| what do we find that he did?
| HE said the ground had been prepared
and said that they had asked for a con
structve President to take hold He select
ed the man-President Taft On the con
structive side 1t was a bad guess.
Now, | have referred TO the record o
Roosevelt, and not only is il open. but 1
Is the duty at this critical hour to poin
out that record. Study that record care
fully. This is no time TO follow any blint
sentiment. The least mistake by Congress
or the government regarding the trusts will
forever fasten this burden upon the people
So / admonish you, when you elect rep
resentative TO Congress United State
Senator or a man TO fll the President
chair. see 10 this See that you will no
get just talk. but that you will get some
thing done
Washington, March l5-The Roosevelt
headquarters here tonight gave out a.
open letter by Clifford Pinchot, whic
quotes a letter written by ellison Gardner
a newspaper man, TO Walter l.. Houser
Senator La Follette's manager. denyin
that Colonel Roosevelt promised his sup
port to the Senator's candidacy with III
assurance that he would not become a can
ddate.
Gardner's letter to Houser declares un
true any statement that Colonel Roose
welt urged Senator La Toilette TO becom
a candidate II goes OF TO say that Colone
Roosevelt sent word by Gardner that h
did not believe Senator La Toilette coul'
win and that he believed Taft's renomi
nation would be forced by money and pat
ronage, and therefore Colonel Roosevelt
said. he did not feel like urging La Follett
to go into losing fight"
|