The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-05-01
ROOSEVELT REVIVED

Roosevelt, the Rough Rider, the
fighting Colonel, the foe of crooked
politicians, the magnetic pleader for
political righteousness, the Roosevelt
of old who has so fully filled up the
minds eye of all red-blooded Ameri-
cans, whose clarion call to their poll
teal conscience set hosts of them to
marching under his inspiring leader
ship--this Roosevelt is brought back
to life and leadership by the stupidity
of his bitterest political foe, one Will
liam H. Barnes, of New York. The
trial of the libel suit, which Mr..
Barnes has instiklted against Mr..
Roosevelt, simply opened the way for
a powerful and thoroughly advertised
arraignment by the Colonel of those
political conditions which make for
unrighteousness in our American De-
macracy.
There are many things in Mr..
Roosevelts social and political pro-
gram which we are unable to endorse.
But we find little trouble in endorsing
him. In fact, we are not much incin-
cd to debate his personal idioSyncras-
les or disupte his governmental theor-
les, when he is summoning US to
fight with the political bosses who by
unholy, bi = partisan combinations
maintain their control of the elector-
ate and turn representative govern
ment into a farce-or a-tragedy. Mr..
Roosevelt has been master of his op-
ponents at every stage of the game in
this trial and, irrespective of the i'm
mediate issue involved, has succeeded
III sounding a rousing call to the vot-
ers Of the land to cup and at EN-. We
shall miss our guess a long ways if
the call is not needed; if indeed Mr..
Roosevelt himself shall not make it
He has ample opportunity. The ma
Barnes in New York would be quite as
vania, for example. And even in
Maryland. No man can be very long
or very intimately in contact with the
political situation in this State with
out knowing full we'll that when it
NpiiIeS W SelIlllS JnlngS certain De-
mocratic and Republican leaders Tor
mls!eaders) play the game together.
The business end" of politics knows
no party lines.
1t diScourages ones hopes for fair
and decent representation of the peo-
pie, and it needs some such ringing
words as Col. Roosevelt has Just been
utterlng on the witness stand, to fill a
fellow full of fight again If eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty, by
that sa'ie token may it be said that
an eternal fight is the price of honest
representation. There is nothing so
admirable in the eyes of all profess
sional politicians as the good fellow"
the fellow who goes along, good
naturedly and quiescently There is
nothing they so much detest as the
trouble maker-the fellow who throws
rocks in their way. Their guarantee
for getting away with the goods" is
in keeping down any hue and cry of
stop thief. Men of the Roosevelt
stripe upset their apple carts. Hence
our rejoicing that Barnes, in his stu
pidity. has called that same Roose-
welt back into the fighting lines.
Would that his double might be un-
earthed in Maryland The people here
sleep, with an occasional growl in
their sIumhers, while the politicians
hold high carnival. Whatever the YER
dict in the Barnes suit, it may be the
Roosevelt testimony will stir some of
US somewhat, even here in Maryland