The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1916-12-07
THE ELECTION.
BY Theodore Roosevelt.

college, by small majority. The ex
treme closeness OF the election render
ing US at his moment unable to state
without question who the next presi-
dent is to be, while the senate is Dem
ocratic and the house closely divided
is not satisfactory outcome Of the
campaign. To men who feel as the
present writer does and who hold theil
convictions with iervor Of intensity,
and who wished to see the American
people repudiate Mr.. Wilson's policies
by an overwhelming majority the dis
appointment is naturally keen,
AS in all such cases the result is
more easy to explain than it had been
to foretell. The appeal made for Mr..
Wilson was one which would tell very
strongly with good, honest citizens
whose pre- OCCUPATION with their own
pursuits was such that they could
not be expected to look deeply into
our international relations and the gen,
eral world conditions. This appeal was
in its essence that we should vote for
Mr.. Wilson because he had kept US
out Of war and because we we're pros
porous. 1t would have been highly
creditable to the average man if ne had
possessed the vision and disinterested'
ness to disregard such an appeal; but
the fact that he did not disregard it
merely means that we we're not able to
make the issue clesr to his eyes. It
does not mean that he would remain
morally obtuse if he could be shown in
convincing fashion where his duty lay.
No sensible man wishes TO 90 to war
il he can honorably keep out Of it; and
when 10 this natural inclination is ad'
ded the fact that the man is very busy
and is puzzled about the issues involv-
ed, he is certain to cast his vote on the
side that he is told will guarantee
peace. Evidently people tend TO look
at the dreadful crimes committed in
Belgium and Armenia in the sinking
Of the ,Lusitania, and in Mexico
as analogous to disasters such as an
earthquake or a fire; as properly excit-
ing discreet sympathy, but not as call,
ing for any action. which would leopard
ize the comIort aud wel-being Of those
not being Immediately concerned. I |
do not approve Of this attitude. I am
merely stating it. Insofar as our peo'
pie permanently preserve it. they will
steadily tend 10 the Chinese level. 1t
may need a serious shock to wake them
from it, the men and women OF the re-
volution AMI Of the civil war. Again,
every man does and ought to prize a
material we'll. being. To prize it is
only wrong when it is permitted to get
out oi perspective, and yet am sure
that it is possible TO wake them. and |
that when thorougly reused they have
the further possibility OF showing the
great qualities Of to become the sole
end Of life, instead Of merely one Of
the means to the end-important but
to be sacrificed without hesitation by
all lofty souls, when its retention is
clearly incompatible with some high.
good. We are at the moment we'll of.
The cost Of living is very high; and
the government is rapidly becoming
unable TO pay its debts; but business.
man, farmer and wage Garner are all
proftably busy. Under such circum.
stances onl men Of unusal insight and
foresight will make a POLITICAL change
because Of just concern abovt future
conditions. They do not pay much
heed to the forecasts Of politicians.
We have permitted our politicians our
candidates for public Offices TO treat
the promises made in party platforms
and on the stump with a CYNICAL in
difference which now reflects itself in
a similar indifference on the part Of the
voter. When public men are readily
pardoned for making any promise which
they think will secure public favor be-
fore election and for rspudiating any
promise which they think it inconveni-
ent TO keep after election, it is imposs-
ible to exy &c, iha, the voters will not
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