The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-16
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
There will be general rejoicing from
one end of the land to the other that
thu assassin's bullet which was aimed
ct Theodore Roosevelt dill not touch
a vital spot. Even among those who
are most strongly opposed to his pres
ent efforts in the political arena there
is keen admiration fer this man among
men. He is one of the nations most
| distinguished citizens. He has served
its people faithfully and well in vary
ing public stations, including the high
est. His usefulness to his country for
many years to come is bound to be
large in whatever may be his sphere
of labor. His untimely death would
have been a national calamity under
any circumstances. Had il been
| brought about by a lunatic with cruel,
| premeditated murder in his heart, it
would have been almost intolerable.
Not only is it Colonel Rcosevelt's
good fortune that his life was spared
as If by miracle. 1t is also the good
fortune of these United States. It's
men of large abilities and high pur-
poses are not any too numerous, and
these he times of economic unrest,
with vexed problems crying for
solution, when none of them can be
spared. And even if Colonel Roose-
welt is wrong in his present preten-
sions, as many men, including any
number who think well of his sterling
manhood, have excellent reasons to
believe. he is still rendering his coun-
try a great service by pressing vigor-
ously his views and his doctrines. For
it is often the case that faulty premise
suggests more clearly the best solu-
ton for the problem at issue.
In view of his all around bigness OF
calfber, it is no more than charitable
to believe that while making the
speech he did Immediately after the
attempt was made on his life, and
before it had been determined def
nitely how seriously he had been in
iured, he was laboring under a consid-
cradle physical strain and great men
tai excitement, although his utter
ances were spoken calmly Else it is
not at all likely that he would have
attributed the murderous attack on
him even indirectly to the political
Examinations that have been directed |
against him during the past few
weeks. ut is a very natural thing, |
said the colonel as he showed his |
blood-stained clothes to his audience, !
that weak and vicious minds should /
be inflamed to acts of violence by the |
kind of foul mendacity and abuse that
has been heaped upon me for the last |
three months by the papers not only
IN the interests of Mr.. Debs, but of
Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Taft"
Theodore Roosevelt has never been |
known to campaign with kid gloves
on. No man is more severe than he |
in his criticism of those VINO exercise |
their privilege of cpposinG him on
matters of public concern. Oftimes
his language of denunciation is as
harsh as it is vigorous He spares no
one who gets in his way or attempts
to cross swords with him. He RACES
at every one who cannot see things
whole career has he been more vigor-
GUS in his own ruthless way with his
charges and denunciations than he has
during the past few months that he
has been campaigning for a third
presidential term. TEder these cir
it is well within the truth
to say that he has been accorded most
courteous and generous treatment by
the great bulk of the newspapers that
have seen fit to express their disap-
prevail of his present political plans
and pretensions.
Nothing but the diseased brain of
the individual who fired The shot is
for the assault that was
regrettable indeed that this is one of
the evil exigencies against which so
siety is powerless to protect itself.