Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-15
Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt
and His Friends


King Solomon. who is reckoned the
wisest mankind, says there friend stick
eth closer than a brother" but evidently Mr.. Theo-
dore Roosevelt. Familiarity known "the Colonel,
cannot be classed among friends of that sort.
Except his frequent denunciaton Of men and wom-
Q liars he does nothing more frequently than
break with his friends Sir Francis Bacon says "a
often loses his friends" and If the
saying be the third termer has died daily for
number of years past
He was the friend of Mr.. Taft. procaimng his
friendship the secretary of war and pres
ent president on all occasions trusted Mr. Taft
in things small he found no fault with
him. could find words enough to express
his admiration for him. When he had finished his
second in the presidency and was too near me
utterance of his pledge not to seek third term for
broken easily, he made Mr. Taft his successor
not hesitatng to "steam roller methods to &C
complish the nomination of his favorite Fiut noW'
in the terms he denounces his successor As
who steals and receives stolen goods
He once had friend Hon. Bellamy Storer He
called him dear Belamy. and Mrs Storer ne cameo
dear Maria" lie sent Mr. Storer as an anlpassauor
the courts Of Europe and with MS
ambassador he kept up familiar correspondence. tie
could hardly have expressed stronger confidence in
man than he appointed him to deal with mat
involving the honor Of our government ana the
nationals in the country TO Whlch ne
accredited him. in process of time he threw
away his friend accused both dear Belamy ana
dear Maria of falsehood. and made end of all
friendly relations with them
h was devoted TO Mr. Elihu Root. elevated him to
of speaking his praises and doing him honor IN every
way possible. But he places Mr. Root anohs
those who have wantonly violated the COMMANDMENT
Thou shalt steal" and counts MIN among INC
conspirators who robbed him of the Republican nom
ination the presidency and deprived tine pe0PiS
of their right to him for a third term
He held Senator Lodge in the highest esteem o.
at least he said that he did He went 50 far as 10
dedicate one of his numerous books to Mr' LOuse:
But now includes the senator among that group u
senatorial corruptionists upon whom ne never "e'
of mourning his maledictions. .-..
others-manv others-1night be named whom
he professed to love and friends. but whom
now he denounces wicked and untrustwOrthy.
Such conspicuous s1oughing off of friendship
calls for an explanation. What does it mean?
Were all these men. and Others unworthy persons
when Mr. Roosevelt pressed them to his bosom in
srden+ friendship? why then did he friends CT
such bad people? it taken him all these years
to find them Then, indeed he must be a very
poor judge of II he knew them from the first
as bad he consorted for many years with people
whom he knew to be crooked and appointed them 10
the very highest places in the government
or, has Mr.. Roosevelt cast away these friends Of
former days because they refuse to serve his amDi
tious purposes longer? Then, how any one truss
him at all? A who will throw friend away
for the of personal ambition cannot De sI5
with ANYTHING for no be true to the puO4lc
interest who is false sacred friendships.
Moreover, the falling away OF all these us',n-
guished persons from Mr. Roosevelt calls Ior e~pa
nation Did their close association with MIN leAu
them 70 distrust him? 1t altogether to the credt
of 1the Colonel that people who nave the
best opportunity to know him. no longer trust nm
II fs conceivable that or two men might IAN
ovav from him without just cause, but II Is scarce
Nv probable that would refuse TO walk win
MIN Farther If there not good reason Tor their
withdrawing their confidence. And these are Hot
SORRY people Of unknown character; they are men
whom he trusted with the highest otflces WHICH, "N
president he could bestow upon them
Mr. Roosevelt is making new friends and IL
must be apparent to all that they are not men Of
the high class which his former friends belonged
On the contrary, they are men of distinctly lower
grade. ~, !. r,ou,,-Iroria for
example who might be worse than Mr.. Penrose
but certainly he cannot be put IN the sanie Sia90
with Mr.. Elihu Root
Then there is Mr.. Perkins Of the Harvester trust
who supports the third termer most ardently ana n
nancially. No sincere man would dare say lhat SIr
erlin can be accounted the equal of Senator Lodge
in intelligence or integrity.
senator Dixon can hardly measure up to the Level
of Mr. Belamy Storer; certainly ne is Tar pelo" le
n1ane of life upon which Mr.. Taft moves
When Mr.. Roosevelt throws aside his present
friends there will found in the entire heap
1.-THE moral excelencies which are found IN his
former friends whom discarded in his race for
the presidency.
personal character of Roosevelt they also con-
Germ the kind Of officials he would appoint If by
any means could work his way into the presi-
dency again.
who would he put into his cabinet? Where would
he find Taft for secretary of war. a
secretary of state along his present followers7
And could be achieved by cabinet of poliu-
cal plgmes win ooihiheeIilS PIeSUehI aDO'e hoih
and hostile congress in front of them? What sort
of judges would he put the bench7
Who among the ranks Of his rooters could he find
for ambassadors the courts of the world? How
would Perkins do ambassador to England? Or,
Senator Dixon for Austria?
This ambitious man, to whom friendship is a name
and fidelity fiction, cannot be safely
any high OF government, and. least of ALL
with the presidency The American people are MT
likely to trust him again they trusted
him. They have found him out. found him want
q
great regret only
While he is camoring for Judges to be recalled
office, is trying to get the people to recall
him to office But they will hardly do it No. lot