New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-27
READY FOR ROOSEVELT
A Reluctant Acceptance Of the Colonel I"
the Only Hope Of Amcricanism.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Shall we make hero Of the man VINO
played the part of Benedict Arnold TO MS
party and to William Howard Taft four years
ago. Are we of sufficiently heroic mould 10
do that? This is the question that arises in
the minds Of some Of us Mt this time. Ana
the question Is difficult one Tor us 10
answer. We nre opposed to the colossal ego
of Theodore Roosevelt; we have been dis
gusted with some Of his petty weaknesses
we do not like TO feel that any one man Is
necessary TO the salvation OF our country
vet Theodore Roosevelt seems to be as in
evtable as the rising Of the sun on election
morning.
If it were within my power to name the
next Presiden: Of the United States ] should
name Elihu Root. because believe him to be
the man best fitted by ability and tempera'
ment for the post. He has declared himself
Enthusiastically on the greatest question before
the American public. lie has not pussy
footed. Yet | realize that he is not the man
to fire the imagination of the American pub
lie. He could not win the election, not be-
cause of lack Of abillt,, but because he does
not possess personality
realize. too, that Mr.. Root is we'll along
in years, and his election in view Of the time
honored American habit of naming seconds
for the Vice Pres idency, might be unfortu-
nate for the country should he die during
the early part Of his administration. My
choice. all things considered. would be a
ticket headed by Root and Roosevelt, but that
is impossible.
What then,
Unfortunate though it may be, Theodore
Roosevelt is the only answer Something
must be done to drag this country from the
mire into which il has been pushed by the
amiable weakness of the present Administra-
tion in Washington. Something must be done
to prove, first OF all TO the American people
and then to the world, that those are mis-
taken who believe this nation to be possessed
of neither conscience nor morals-that so
long as their pockets are not affected the
American people will endure anything in the
way of afront from powers both weak and
strong.
Hughes is an able man. but he is impos-
sible. In this crisis no man should be made
President unless his stand on burning ques-
tons is known to the public Justice Hughes
should remain where he is. He is an able
jurist but poor executive. He is an even
worse judge of men than Wilson, and if
elected President might conceivably sur
round himself with men even more strlkingly
inefficient than some of those in the Wilson
Cabinet
With all his weaknesses we know who
Roosevelt is. what he is, where he is II any
man Of Presidential stature had placed him
self squarely on a Root Roosevelt platform
a platform Of unauthorized Americanism,
should advocate his nomination. Had Burton
spontaneously placed himself there | should
urge his selection. | could support Mccall
on such platform. could support Fair
banks on such platform. could even sup
port Cummins on such a platform.
But, with the exception of Root and Roose-
welt. all seem 20 fear the German vote. They
would rather be President than be right. As
a consequence they will be neither. They
have cut the ground from under themselves
Sad it may be-ssd it s-but even those
who have little of the heroic in their make
up-like myself -see but one hope for true
Americanism in this crisis. That hope is
Theodore Roosevelt. ! voted for Taft in 1912
I wish | might vote against Roosevelt and
many Of the things he represents in 1916, but
il is not 10 be. | face the situation, and am
for Roosevelt at Chicago next month.
Brooklyn. May %, 1916. A. ~ A.