Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-10

particular province, that he should not seek to usurp
the rights of the Congress or the courts and that lat
the proper period" Jefferson expressed it, he
should lay down his charge"
But Mr.. Roosevelt's conception Of the Presidency
is radically different from this Just he contends
for concentration of power at Washington at the
expense of the individual States does he also con-
tend for a further concentration of power in the
hands of the chief executive at the cost Of the egs
ative and the judicial departments. 1t is this very
idea that earmarks his New Natonalism, of which
he has said: 1T is impatient of the impotence that
proceeds from overdivision of government powers
The NeiO NGtionahSnr regards the erecutiUe potoer
the ste,odrd Of the public loeIfGre He would thus
not only wipe out those boundary lines within which
the States have certain rights but he would also re-
duce the independence of the legislative and judicial
departments, subordnatng them both to that of the
executive If the American people wish govern
ment that is representative and constitutional they
can tolerate such plan
Mr.. Roosevelt would make himself "the Steward
Of the Public Welfare" 1t was Oliver Cromwell
who said, do not make me KING for then my
hands oiH be tied by oil the IGos aOhsch define
duties Of that office; but make director of the
commonwealth and then can do t0kdt please"
How singularly alike these two pleas; the one Of
an English dictator three centuries ago, the other of
a would-be American dictator today!
Mr.. Roosevelt would be, in effect, Lord Protector
of the United States. The peril of such ambition
is in no wise tempered by his avowed devotion to
the public welfare or his implicit faith that he is
the personal agent Of Providence itself, the ndis
pensable man 1t has been truly said that the gloss
of zeal for public service is always spread over acts
Of oppression and the people sometimes made to
consider as brilliant exertion energy in their
favor that which, when viewed in its true light would
be found fatal blow to their rights. I'm govern
ment is this effect so easily produced in a free
republic party spirit nseparable from its existence
aids the illusion and popular leader may al
lowed in many instances impunity and sometimes
warded with applause for acts which would make
tyrant trembIe on his throne"
We need no fear that American citizenship will
brook an open autocracy but it is the part of good
sense and patriotism to deal promptly and decisvely
with autocratic tendencies Certainly it behooves
to those laws and precedents by which the
truly representative character of the government is
maintained Because he dehes of the greatest of
these precedents because he would override most
important of these laws because he stands for abso
lutism as against real Democracy and for government
by man as against government by laws, Mr.. Roose
velt is unsafe and unsound
OF all sections of the country, there is where
his policy Of executive usurpation will find more
emphatic rejection than in the South Even If he
were not reactonary the tariff issue, even If he
had not antagonzed Southern sentiment on the negro
question even If he were not the enemy Of State
rights the fact that he has trampled the thirderm
precedent in an effort to satisfy his personal amb
ton would suffice to bar him from any political con-
sideration at the hands of the Southern people.