The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-10
TURNING BACK
TO ROOSEVELT
SAYS MURDOCH
Popular Sentiment Is Swinging
to Former President.
Strongest Personality Before
Public, Says Wichita Man.
FIRM POLICY NATIONAL NEED
People Prefer COIOnePs Stand
on War Problems.
Nearer NOnpartisan Than Any
Other Man in Race.
Strongest Personality Before
Public, Says Wichita Man.
FIRM POLICY NATIONAL NEED
Nearer NOnpartisan Than Any
Other Man in Race.
BY VICTOR MURDOCH.

Kansas and leading Progressive, who
recently toured the United States
studying the political situation.)
New York. April 10.-The present
Roosevelt popularity is a progressive
result. and an outgrowth of his earlier
strength. During his seven years as
president he wiped out, SO far as that
is humanity possible, any lingering
doubt in regard to his ability, be-
cause every year that he was in the
White House he showed an increasing
strength. 1t is not an over statement
to say that in popular opinion Roose-
Welt at the end of 1908 was the strong
est single personality with the people
that this country has ever seen, bar
none.
A great many people expected him
thereafter to follow the wonted
course of ex-presidents, and to recede
into the position OF dlgnIfled on
locker. There is no question that his
almost immediate renewal of political
activities affronted a great many.
1t must be remembered that Roose-
velt's popularity had largely overborne
old party lines. He had, for instance,
a tremendous following in the south,
the only man in the north since Buch-
anan who has had such a following.
Taft proved not only weak president.
but a strict partisan. And he lined
partisans back into their old positions
all over the country There was. con-
sequently, a period in RooseVelt's ca
reer just at this time when undoubted
" he had lost much of his former
strength with the people. but his
straight-out open challenge in 1912
almost instantly recovered his former
prestige with the independent voter,
with a large number of Republicans
and with a noteworthy fraction of the
Democrats.
Rare without Precedent.
This alone can explain the develop
ment of four million votes in a three
months campaign without the
groundwork of organization, which is
most essential in every political move
ment. That is, Roosevelt's person.
ality. of its own weight, made him a
close second in the race. Historically,
this is without precedent, of course.
Immediately thereafter he suffered
the reaction which comes to any po-
litical career. meeting defeat. Wilson
was elected and proved himself a strict
partisan. He reformed the Democrat
ic lines which were considerably mud
died
The Republican party, free of Taft,
began to repair itself. The Roosevelt
popularity, therefore, experienced a
second recession. There is no ques-
ton in my mind that at this stage
of the game Colonel Roosevelt had
J
piration behind him.
The European war broke out. Bel
GUM was invaded The Lusitania was
sunk. The country suffered every
manner of insult and injury. With
probably no thought to its effects on
his political fortunes, but in a per-
fectly instructive, primal, red-blooded
response to the decency of the situa-
ton, Roosevelt as a citizen, resented
the attitude of Germany.
He Preached Alone.
His vigor was such that no dema-
gogue dared follow him and no demo-
gogue did. For months he preached
this doctrine of American virility
when the average American politician
stood aghast. But all over the coun-
try simultaneously the people began
to take note. They didn't want war.
They wanted to avoid it. And they
had before their eyes two major fig
ures. One. the president of the United
States, Mr.. Wilson, and the other
Roosevelt.
The Lusitania went down-a note.
The Frey was captured note. The
Falaba-a note. The Sussex, which
had no more chance against a sub
marine than kitten in tiger fight,
went down. Another note. In every
instance Americans. travelling upon the
high seas suffered injury and death.
The nations of Europe in every pos
scorn for US. And this was accented
by three years of dallying and david
ling with Indian anarchy across the
Rio Grande.
Compare Different Methods.
And with the two men before their
eyes regardless of the politician and
his pussy-footing proclivities. the aver
age American began to sift the two
methods-Wilson and his proposition
of retreating from one postponement
to another, or Roosevelt with his
quick, flatfooted challenge. Which
method would insure peace?
Facing danger with your eyes open
and your heart steady or turning
your back on it and scuttling?
The average American is red-b1ood-
ed. He has not only deep wells of
patriotism. but he is by instinct a
creature who takes his own part, and
who hates evasion and loves direct
ness. And in four months there came
to Roosevelt by reason of this con-
trast by far the most remarkable de-
gree of popularity that has marked
his career.
1t is everywhere-north, south,
east and west
1t has percolated through all par
ties 1t is the individuals tribute to
the strength of a single mind. A min /
which most people believe today far
transcends ordinary political consid-
erat1OnS and becomes a national need