Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-13
oiticIsl Paper Of City and County
Egotism Rampant

Egotism Rampant
1t is not great party which me-
in convention at the Coliseum
1t is not an outpouring of the champ
ions of great cause. 1t is not tn
beginning, nor the middle, nor the enc
of any movement that will occupy hall
a page of general history fifty years
hence-unless that history should re-
cord the downfall of the American re-
public.
The meeting at the Coliseum is .
gathering of friends of one man, Theo-
dore Roosevelt. Its only purpose is to
exploit yet farther his restless, his
enormous egotism. Its only meaning
must be sought in his personality and
his mental attitude.
The Journal does not discuss Mr..
Roosevelt's personality. His mental
attitude must be discussed. 1t is an
attitude easy to state, though hard to
realize.
Mr.. Roosevelt really believes that he
is the only man now living who is fit to
be president of the United States.
This is the only statement of the case
which explains his amazing actions.
Senator La Toilette is an able, de-
voted and experienced champion OF the
principles Of progressive republican
: ism; but Mr.. Roosevelt shouldered
Senator La Toilette aside after en-
couraging him to become a candidate
for president.
Gov. Hadley is an able champion OF
the principles of progressive republi-
canism; but Mr.. Roosevelt refused to
permit Gov. Hadley to be nominated
for president, when the Taft forces
were willing to agree on Hadley as
compromise candidate.
Gov. Woodrow Wilson is an intrepid
exponent of the principles of progress
sive democracy; but Mr.. Roosevelt
dredges the dictionary for sdjectives
to berate Gov. Wilson.
It is not for progressive principles.
therefore, that Mr.. Roosevelt takes
the field. Indeed, he pays no attention
to principles of any sort. save when he
voices some copy book maxim, or rolls
out some sonorous phase which can be
read forward, backward, or sideways
with exactly the same amount of mean
ing.
Then why is be in the field at all?
For the reason stated above: Mr..
Roosevelt believes himself to be the
only man fit for the presidency. He
has become fanatic on the subject of
his own importance. He thinks that
all men, republicans and democrats,
should stand aside and give him clear
path to the white house.
Are the American people ready to
accept that opinion and make it their
own?
Are they ready to give the powers of
the presidency into the hands of q man
whose mind is SO strangely constituted
that he thinks himself the only man fit
to exercise those powers?
Are they ready to break the tradit-
ion of hundred years, and give third
term to man who would surely de-
mand fourth term, fifth term,
life term?
Unless the republican party, which
has given the country so many patri-
otto leaders, lost its sole reason for ex-
istence when it lost this one man, there
is no excuse for the third-term candi
dacy of Theodore Roosevelt.
Unless the democratic party has no
leader worthy to sit in the chair of JEFF
ferson, of Jackson, of Cleveland, there
there is no excuse for the third term
candidacy Of Theodore Roosevelt.
The Journal does not believe the
country so lost and forsaken that only
the perpetual presidency o: this self
appointed steward of the public vel
fare" can keep our republic from de-
struction.
There are other honest men than Mr..
Roosevelt; men so well accustomed to
honesty that they do not get excited
about their integrity. There are other
able men than Mr.. Roosevelt; men who
use their ability for their country,
rather than for themselves and for
their friends who own trusts.
That Mr.. Roosevelt should be elected
is impossible. But it would be calam
ity for him to come within measurable
distance of election.
Republicans scotched the third-term
menace in 1880. In 1912 they should
kill it and bury it. Then the country
should arect constitutional barrier
against any future third-term, perils.
against any dizzy egotist who may as
pire to overthrow the most sacred of
all American traditions.
Mr.. Roosevelt must be defeated 60
completely that the least sane of his
followers can see that it does not pay
any man to advertise himself as the
only righteous man in a nation of nine
ty millions. Chicago Journal.
Did He Prophesy7
It is possible that Kipling is-or was
"a prophet, as we'll as poet.
One would not lightly accuse so emil
nent a man of so famous an invasion of