Omaha daily bee., 1912-10-14
EITHER BOLTER OR BEGGAR
Roosevelt's Record in Politics Shows
Many Abrupt Turns,
RECIPIENT OF MANY FAvoRs
Always Working for His own
Hand and Never steadfast in
His Course ON Any
Policy.
BY CHARLES d. HILLEs.

BY CHARLES ID. HILLES.
Chairman of the Republican National
Committee,
NEW YORK, Oct. 13. - Especial IA
party formed to satisfy one mans am
bltion cannot survive that mans defeat"
Bull moose, moosettes and little moose
are calling throughout the land: Destroy
the republican party"
They make no pretense of striving to
kill the democratic party, not even In
Tennessee. Alabama, Louisiana or other
states where the third termer has been
campaigning recently. The republican
party and its alleged crimes and misde-
meanors Is everywhere the text Of the
bull moose herd.
Personal vengeance" as President
Taft has expressed It: Dishonesty Of the
republican party because 1t would not
nominate me- and the S'accusation Of an
tunsnccessful litigant," as lsliiu Root has
described them. form the chief issues Of
the man who for many years the re-
publican party honored with public office.
Would they but stop and look back over
the years since the arrival into public
life Of this soldier Of Armageddon. who as
a campaign speaker recently said: "Ar-
rived there 5000 years after the fight"
republicans might recognize the same man
who. since the early sos employed his
rule or ruin policy, to make himself the
dominant master of his old party. No
bossisn ever compared with his; no boss
ever lacked more the spirit Of liberation.
His start In Politics.
| just out OF college, and elected In 1881
to the assembly In Albany by a repuh-
| lican constituency, he became a mischief
maker, better than his party man, an
independent" In the legislature,
! Men eminent neither then nor since in
reform were his associates against the
regular party organization, He thought
that conduct would mark short cut to
the speakership and he became candidate
for speaker but was defeated by the regu-
lar party candidate, Titus Sheard.
| Faint hearts in the party then were
disturbed by the noise he made. He next
publican national convention in 1884, Nor
could he agree with the dominant senti-
ment Of the party In New York, for
! Biaine's nomination, but supported George
! +. Edmunds Of Vermont. causing break
! In the state delegation.
/ Recently he assailed Edmunds viciously
because that revered stateman, opposed
the recall Of judges. After Blaine's noni-
nation for the presidency, this man suked
| in the campaign until near its close, when
| he gave half-hearted support to Blaine,
/ whom he feared would be elected.
Just a "Boss."
Appointed civil service commissioner in
! 1880. in Washington, he boasted that he
was neither republican nor democrat, but
the boss Of the commission. Chosen for
president of the New York city police
board in 1895 by Mayor Strong, a republi-
can, he formed combination with Avery
D. Andrews one of the democratic mem
bers, and antagonized General Frederick
d. Grant, the other republican member of
the board Now he has the effrontery to
seek what was denied TO General U. s.
! Grant. his former opponents father, a
! third term as president Of the United
states.
Out OF a job again in 1897, he sought
the intervention of John Jacob Astor, a
college mate, to gain the endorsement Of
! Thomas c. Platt for appointment as as
sistant secretary Of the navy He had
antagonized Boss Platt for many years
In the republican party, but went on hts
knees to Platt when he could utilize his
| Influence.
! No sooner had he warmed his chair In
the Navy department, than he sought TO
undermine John D. Long. secretary Of the
department, and to run the navy himself.
When governor a few years later. he
barred an Albany newspaper correspond
ent from the executive chamber, because
the correspondent had quoted him as en-
dorsing Secretary Long for vice presi-
dent.
1 Developments leading to the war with
! Spain affected him as fine day does the
/ man who Is wont to say, 1T is fine
day. Let's 80 out and kill something
Made Peace with PIatt.
| When the little war was over he came
to Montauk Point, where Lemuei E.
Qulgg, republican I'ieader," sought him
and induced him TO stand as candi-
date for the governorship. Plat had
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