The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-30
SOME SANE THINKS
on THE MILWAUKEE SHOOTING
(Life)

1t was enough to turn anybody away
from politics altogether. but since the
candidate came out of IL so fortunate
~, IL is not gracious 10 complain. We
did not care for this stricken-on-the-
field Milwaukee speech, of course. II
was very imprudent as an exploit.
might have done him a grave physical
damage, may have won him a few new
votes. which is not to be desired. 1t
was the same old story. vastly dra-
matte, of course, under the circum-
stances; courageous, of course, and.
of course, intensely Rooseveltian. But
everything must be forgiven TO
speaker who speaks with a newly ac-
quired bullet puncture in him, even
when he speaks an hour and half.
And after all, the Milwaukee speech
was the most useful he has made this
year. and by far the most beneficial to
our feelings and the country, since, in
manuscript in his pocket, it helped 10
check that madman's bullet. We hope
the Outlook will publish at least the
holes in it.
The colonel said in this speech that
he had been abused so outra geously
in the campaign that it was no wonder
that some weak-minded person had
finally been stirred up to take a pop
at him.
There is not much in that
He undertook to destroy his own
party, and also TO do away with a
political tradition which has lasted a
century, and for which a good many
people have very deep regard. OF
course. such drastic things, whether
good or bad, cannot be attempted
without a rolling of the waters. He
started his campaign with a cry of
Stop Thief! We believe he has lately
| been warning the country against
Wilson as a man who would destroy
prosperity, and that night in Milwau-
kee he held him up as an opponent of
child labor laws.
The colonel has scolded as much as
any one has 1t was nobody's fault
| that a lunatic shot at him instead of
at Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Wilson. There was
just as much reason to shoot at one
of the other candidates as at Mr.
Roosevelt. The only difference is that
Mr.. Roosevelt is by a good deal the
most disturbing and exciting figure OF
the three, and the one most likely to
upset an unbalanced mind. That is
not because of anything that has beer
said about him, but because of his
personal qualities, and his constant
iappeals to emotionalism, and constant
use of agitations in his campaign. II
anyone has made him a target, h,
himself is the man. he has gone aftel
the emotional vote, and doubtless ha.
gathered il all in. 1t was altogethel
too Bull Moose of him to talk in pub
lie an hour and q half, having first ex
planned that he had a bullet in him
He ought not to be applauded for sucl
ian exploit: he should be spanked. Blu
if there was any remnant of the emo
tional vote that he had not got in al
ready, he probably got it in Mil
waukee, and if not, Mr.. Beveridge o
Mr.. Thomas Lawson, got it for hin
later.
We beg the colonel to try not to b
shot any more. In his candidacy as
is, there is some comedy, but to hav
him effectually shot would turn it al
to horrid gloom.
And, of course, the betting odds Of
election being what they are. shooting
at him is an absolutely wanton crime
/, which no sane criminal would con
slider.