Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-08

| mcnt really annotated the Gary dinner.
| 1T had the support of some real lead
ers in business. and these carried
i others with them. As the situation now
| is Col. Roosevelt has some right TO
look upon himself the business
| mems candidate as well as the heroic
| candidate.
Attitude of the Old Guard.
| | have been at some pains to find out
| just how his outspoken championship
| of his own claims to the republican
| nomination is taken. Two months ago
| a friendlier feeling toward Roosevelt
among the old-line republicans was
noted. This included some business
men who previously had been very hos
title. Their attitude then was one OF
| welcoming back the prodigal but not
| allowing him to sit down at the head
| of the table. Now that he has taken
| the seat of honor and authority, and is
| willing to let the best viands be
| served him, some of these men ac-
! quiesce | have met three or four dur
| ing the last two days who have SAID:
| ooh. WELL let the colonel nave ms
! way.
| That is one aspect. But there is an
| other view. Several persons who were
kindly and friendly have become sud
| denly chilled. One of them tod me
| that a sort of a verbal round robin
might reach the colonel which would
let him understand that some or tnose
| who had been friendly would feel COM
| PEELED to vote against him If by any
| chance he should get the republican
nomination. A distinguished man not
| in any way identified with politics, or
even with business, was mentioned as
| the originator of the round-rooin idea.
| l mentioned this news to one OF the
| men who is now kindly disposed to Roose-
velt He remarked. 'Hlf they try that the
colonel will be sure to turn 1t to MS own
| advantage IL will be boomerang.
Effect of Foreign Policy.
| Aside from the humorous developments
| there is a real reason for Col. Roosevelt
| getting back into the limelight just now.
| Unquestionably a strong feeling has
arisen in New York in regard to foreign
! policy and there is dissatisfaction with
the foreign policy Of President wilson
This dissatisfaction is much stronger
| than it was few weeks ago. When
had occasion to note the sentiment. The
adulatory atmosphere of ashlnston IS
not the best place to Judge IT,
The business community OF this great
city is becoming hostile. This must be
said whether its hostility is 1ust1hed
or not The man on the farm or IN
the factory or who drives a truck may
be satisfied. and his vote counts just as
much as that of the business man, but
the influence of the business COM
munity as a whole in New York is
greater than that of other aggrega-
lions of individuals. Col Roosevelt ap-
parently had "sensed" this growing
hostility, and has crystallized it, so that
he becomes the mouthpiece.
The Mexican issue, as a part of the
foreign policy, is also becoming a live
one. Whatever may have been the feel
ing in other parts of the country. New
York heretofore has not shown much
concern over Mexico. not even when
American citizens were massacred.
Mexican Developments Interest.
But since the army has been sent
down there after Villa an extraordinary
interest has been ava kened. 1t seems
as though most of the inhabitants of
Manhattan had just heard of what is
going on. and are. therefore. more
keenly interested 1t is now quite clear
that even if the troops get Villa the
interest in Mexico viii not cease.
Col. Roosevelt by his frequent at
tacks on President Wilson's Mexican
policy and his detailed statements, has
managed to give the New York public
the impression that he is the ind
vidual who knows all about Mexico
Several weeks ago New York bust
ness man of prominence told me he
thought Roosevelt would better keep
quiet about Mexico. Yesterday | found
him reading the colonels detailed in
dictment of the Administrations Mex
lean policy. This is typical of others.
In his campaign for the support of
the business men the colonel has man
aged to score another point. This is
in the matter of the cabinet A large
percentage of the New York business
community, including democrats as
well as republicans. is convinced that
the Wilson cabinet is a weak one. 1t
also feels that any President ought to
have strong cabinet. This feeling has
been very skillfully worked up.
Favor Strong Cabinet.
Few New York business men could
pass a civil service examina ton in re-
gard to the cabinet or name more than
three of four members and the de-
partments which they administer. But
that does not affect their belief that
the President should not be the whole
thing, and that there should be a
gets to be President again these
New York business men have the prom
Use that there will be a strong cabinet
This promise makes some of them feel
more kindly toward him as candi-
date.
All these things are helping Col.
Roosevelt for the moment. They fit in
with his publicity campaign.
There is another thing that helps
This relates to the republicans The
colonel has managed to convey the i'm
preston that the republican leader
ship in Congress is flabby. and that if
he were there the country would know
there was an opposition party. But as
he is not in Congress he seeks to make
up for the deficiency of the republicans
who ought to be fighting the admins
tration by himself becoming the leader
of the opposition from headquarters at
Oyster Bay.
All these are passing episodes in
the very interesting developments in
national politics. They are viewed here
in New York. however. chiefly with
curiosity as to the effect on the coun-
try at large. Few, seem to think that
Col. Roosevelts activities will have
much influence on the attitude of the
New York delegation at Chicago. There
are eighty-seven votes in that delega-
ton, and if united. or substantially
| united. it may determine the nomina-
tor. Its probable action is another
chapter in current political history.
c. NJ p.
Proposes Cotton Exchange Inquiry.