Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-03-06

lllksa0P
1T does not follow, though, that
Roosevelt should be welcomed by pro-
gressives as the actual candidate Of
the Republican party, much less that
he should be welcomed as President
again. tits one thing to be grateful
to him for the thunderbolt he has
hurled at Hamiltonian plutocracy,
and much the same thing to applaud
him in his struggle with Taft as the
democratic champion in an extraord-
mary prize fight; but a very different
thing would it be to contemplate with
qualification his re-entry into the
White House and his resumption Of
the power he has shown 80 ready a
disposition to use arbitrarily. Let
US not be misled by his democracy.
Bonaparte also was democrat, but
his democracy led to an imperial
throne; and Roosevelt is the type Of
democrat that Napoleon was. When
self-governing peoples have fallen
under absolute rule, the absolute rul-
er Except upon conquest from with
out) has usually been a Bonaparte
or Roosevelt, man Of destiny and
instinct whose rough and ready DEM
ocracy has enabled him to lift him
self to irresponsible personal power
Tin the name and with the might of
the people,"
1--WE are not unmindful Of the cir
cumstances that incline Progressives
just now toward this man of instinct
as the American man Of destiny. He
seems to be the politically strong
man, the man who can win, the only
man under whose leadership plutoc.
racy can be put down at the next
election. Part Of this strength is due
no doubt, to mere fractional revolts
against President Taft for turning
down" Roosevelt and Roosevelt
friends and breaking promises t,
Roosevelt after Roosevelt had made
him President; and out Of this stu
alton Mr.. Roosevelt may number .
powerful following of mercenaries-
powerful in the nominating conven
ton and powerful at the polls. Blu
let US make no mistake, he also ha
a tremendous and disinterested pro
gressive following under splendid an,
disinterested leadership. Republican,
in shoals who have been only recent
ly awakened to the dangers to Am
erican democracy are looking to him
Perhaps it is mirage they see
the upright image Of an inverted dem
ocrat. We think it is. Yet they ma,
say that they have drawn from hin
that Columbus speech; and We freel
acknowledge, not only that this i
a great triumph for them but tina
it may be sufficient guarantee o
good faith and an ample bond TO
good behavior. At any rate we ar
bound to recognize the force of thei
contention when they argue tina
Roosevelt is the only man who, in tn
Republican convention, can defea
Taft the plutocratic Republican, an
the only Republican who can defea
Democratic reactionary at the poll
if the plutocrats carry the Democrat
ic convention.
"But will Mr.. Roosevelt be a
strong politically as progressive Re
publicans Of the Governor Johnso
type think him, and as indeed b
seems to be7 Granted that larg
contingent Of mercenaries will folio,
no one but him into the Progressiv
camp; granted that he has larg
following Of baseball fans, sporty
minded collegiates, "by-george" ba
men, and chewing-gum democrats, a
well as a vast following of earnes
democratic Republicans; granted tina
his Columbus speech will tend to fir
enthusiasm for him among thoughtft
democrats in all parties; granted tha
!, if the Initiative, Referendum and Re
call were once firmly established j
the heart of our representative sys
tenn of government, we might safel
trust good men in Office, even tn
bad good-men, regardless Of thei
opinions or ambitions, and no longe
fear usurpation by a demorcati
Bonaparte,-grant it all, and yet, NJ
Roosevelt once in the fight might en-
counter political obstacles that woul
make the progressive Republican
wish, even on the point Of relativ
political strength, that they had clun
to La Toilette. Mr.. Roosevelt mus
struggle with the third term" oh
lection, the logical unsoundness Q
which we freely concede. It is tru
that his election this year would nc
be for third term in the objection
able sense. The only sound objec
ton to q third term is that it may en-
: able President to perpetuate him
self in Office, as Diaz of Mexico dit