Graham guardian., 1912-03-15

knows that the tariff is politically
dangerous to whomsoever monkeys
with it," But courageous states
man would tackle a question dam
gerous or not. No; Roosevelt knows
the tariff is the nexus of Republican
ism, that it is the party's treasure
chest, that it is the tie that binds in
self-interest the men who will stand
for anything if the tariff be let alone.
He stands by the big tin gods, but
topples over the little tin gods.
The tariff is a graft, but Roosevelt
would not breathe a word against
it. Not even though the people are
in revolt against it. Here his demo-
cracy, put to the test, shows-brum-
magem!>
Undoubtedly, Roosevelt has done,
and is doing good. He does help
along the discussion of things from
democratic standpoints. He gives
radicalism standing it never had
before. He has started men to
thinking in radical ways. He has
taken the ideas of other men,
chiefly Mr.. Bryan's and given them
popularity. But his practice has
never come up to his preachment.
Mr.. Bryan always sounds more radi-
cal than he is. Col. Roosevelt is
never as radical as he sounds. The
Rough Rider makes an awful row
and you'd think he was doing a
great deal, but he isn't doing as
much as you think he is. And while
he is almost vertiginously virtuous,
vocally, at the showdown well,
you and 1, Mr.. Hartman, are both
practical men; will you cough up
some dough to put US over"
Col. Roosevelt is pawky. He
seems to have encouraged Senator
La Toilette to shape up insurgency
and give it consistency, and, then,
when the Wisconsin man had done
all the work, Roosevelt comes in and
takes all the benefit and glory.
There's suspicion that Roosevelt
double crossed La Toilette and it
is remembered that La Toilette was
particularly bitter against the Nor
gan interests with which Roosevelt
has never had falling out, and for
which Roosevelt stands pat as to his
giving them the iron and steel mon
opoly of the country. This is one of
the things dubious that eats steadily
at the enthusiasm once shown for
Roosevelt.
Altogether, Roosevelt, for all his
popularity, is not so strong as he
was. His volatility is interesting,
but not reassuring. His ACTORS
stop short of the apparent purpose
of his words. And yet there is no
certainty that in some things he will
not go too far in action. There's
the Panama grab. There was that
discharge of a whole regiment of
soldiers sans trial. There was the
prosecution of newspapers and the
assertion of general jurisdiction
over criticism of government.
There is his anti-peace talk. There
was his imperialistic advice to Great
Britain to rule Egypt iron-handedly
or get out. These things, in the
popular mind asperse his judgement,
if not his intentions. Liking for
the man has not diminished. De-
pendence upon MIN has declined.
Summed up then, Roosevelt is too
much the Tyll Owlglass to please
the people. He is to much the irre-
sponsible and irrepressible imperial
kobold, buzzingly busy about multi,
tudinous things which he is as likely
to set all askew as to adjust Alright.
That was revealing flash of humor
in the man who called him The
Playboy of the Western World" +"
He's a terror that somehow fzzles
out and doesn't quite come up tc
his auto-hallucinant romantcism
He is playwright, star, all the &C,
tors. stage, scenery and -applausive
audience. My, what fun he has out
of life. that gallant adventure un
der the stars!' ~
But that is all. l fear that ho
polloi are onto him now" and that
they are more than a little weary OF
his incessant and bewildering activi.
ty. They cannot quite see that the