The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-08-07
THE ROOSEVELT ATTACK

Ex-Presient Roosevelt has com
menced his attack upon President
wilson's administration, but IL DIS
first speech is any indication OF wha'
is to come, II is an attack that neeo
not he feared. Those who listen e
him or read what he says, VIII not
overlook the fact that he has a double
reason for being dissatisfied with the
present administration. The nrs'
reason is found in the fact that Il was
President Wilson's progressiveness
that sealed Mr.. Roosevelt's fate In the
last campaign. II the democratic con
vention had followed the example OF
the Chicago convention and nominal
ed a reactionary, Mr.. Roosevelt might
have been elected, but instead o.
choosing a reactionary, the conyen
lion made a. selection from among the
progressive candidates before the con.
vention and as a result democracy
came into power. The democratic
party has made good. and II Is now SO
progressive that there Is neither need
nor room for another progressive par.
ty. The ex-president is not quick C.
forgive those who have thwarted his
ambitions, and he has this grievance
against the president.
The second grievance is 20 be found
in the fact that he desires 20 be a can
didate again and he has no chance OF
winning so long as the country en-
dorses the course pursued by the dem
ocratic administration. When one
reads a criticism from Mr.. Roosevelt
therefore, it is we'll TO bear these facts
in mind. He reminds one OF the story
of a lady who went into a dry goods
store to buy some calico 10 color
Easter eggs. In order to color The
eggs, it was necessary TO select calico
that would fade. and VIXEN the clerk
showed her a piece OF calico that b.
thought suitable, she asked. Are YOU
sure that this will fade?'
He replied, "Oh, yes, It Viii fade
Just then the proprietor went b.
and overheard the remark rebuke1
the clerk, saying, NO, that viii mo-
fade"
Bat she wants it to fade, replied
the clerk.
Mr. Roosevelt wants the democrat
is party to fail in its efforts to satisfy
the public When he finds fault. the
wish is father to the thought.
His first point OF attack is the tarip
but he does not throw any light on
the subject. He is certain that thu
plan employed by the democrats IN re
ducing the tariff was a bad one. bui
he is careful not to present plan
for the plan OF leaving IL 10 a com
mission is not plan az all. II S.
simply an evasion. but the one thai
has been regularly employed By thC
protectionists whenever brought face
TO face with the iniquities Of a high
tariff. They are always sure that any
reduction made by the democrats will
be disastrous, but whenever asked O.
suggest a proper line OF reduction
they confess their ignorance OF the
subject by asking that the work of re
duction be delegated TO a commission
of experts. AS these experts have no
power to legislate. and can only sug
gest, the commission plan is futile.
The members of congress insist on
discriminating the schedules themseE
yes, regardless of what the commits
sion wishes. A commissions report
is never quoted, except when IL sup
ports the views of the congressman
quoting it.
Mr.. Roosevelt was in the presidency
seven and a half years and during
that time he never made any effort 10
reduce the tariff. When he was
about to go out of office. he confessed
a necessity for tariff reduction, and
his successor, President Taft, went In
on the platform promising tariff re-
vision; but the revision was dictated
by the protected interests, and there
fore was a failure.
Mr.. Roosevelt's position on the tar
iff gives no hope of tariff reduction.
or even of the maintenance OF the
present rates. The democratic party
is the only party that dares to deny
to the protected interests the tribute
which they have collected under re-
publican administrations.
On the trust question Mr.. Roose-
velt's position is even weaker than on
the tariff. He attacks the democratic
party because of its opposition to pri-
vate monopoly. Mr.. Roosevelt be-
lieyes in the RECITI ALTON Of mon