Palisadian., 1917-04-28
A Tribute To
Mr.. Roosevelt
From An Old Foe

The Courier-Journal has received
from IAN old subscriber" a letter tax
ing it facetiously to task for it's
Change of heart" in the matter of
Theodore Roosevelt. "Can this be
the same Courier-Journal," our critic
asks, chat was erstwhile so sure the
Man on Horseback was going to ride
down the liberties of the people
Mexicanize the Government-Diazify
the White House-and so on?" And
the Courier-J ournal, unabashed, an
swered with cheerful alacrity "the
same"
There are many things twixt
heaven and earth not dreamed of in
"an old subscribers" philosophy,
(which the same We'll proceed to ex-
plain"
In. the first place the Courier
Journal has had no change of heart
with respect to Theodore Roosevelt.
1t has always loved him. Brutus
loved not Caesar more. "If there be
any dear friend Of Caesars, to him
l say that NBrutus's love for Caesar
was no less than his. If, then, that
friend should demand why Brutus
rose against Caesar, this is my an
swer; not that | loved Caesar less
but that | loved Rome more. AS
Caesar loved ME, | weep for him; as
he was fortunate, | rejoice; as he was
valiant, | honor him; but as he was
ambitious, | slew him." In other
words, when Teddy was right we
praised him, and when he went wrong
we lammed him, never a lick amiss
or below the belt nor word writ
down in malice!
Caesar being dead Brutus wept
for him. Happily, in the case of
Theodore Roosevelt there is no oe-
casion for the Courier-J Journal to
weep. He is yet in the land of the
living and very much alive. The
dagger with which the Courier
Journal so often laid him low was
never a poisoned dagger. It's blade
where it cut at all went little deeper
than the cloth of his coat. Not in
frequently he was able to parry the
blow, for he is very dexterous. And
crafty-la, how crafty! In short the
Courier journal, jealous for the liber-
ties of its country and holding men IN
ability, intended merely to warn the
people against the menace of third
term and by interposing friendly
blow in time to save Theodore Roose-
welt from himself. The issue has
proved that in all this it was not
wholly unsuccessful.
(Now? That is quite another
breed o. dogs! Woody will take no
-,eIr ~, FFod1V a ohornat Ton
gress need not fear an enabling act
eral Staff of the army! But never
Lenoard Wood as Chief of the Foreign
Legion, Theodore Roosevelt as Gen
eral of Division and trust the rest to
God. They did very well together in
CubyD
The reader will please excuse fer
vor, haste and bad pen! 1t is hard
to write of Theodore Roosevelt with
the solemn dignity of the historic, or
even the stereotype of the official
page. He is the Peter Pan of our
public life. Wayward, headstrong,
upright, resourceful, lovable-wlth
talents to burn and genius for
getting therein this dire emerg
ency he becomes a national-an in
national!-asset.
1t is of supreme import that we
strike the European situation while
the iron is hot--that we do not let
it cool that we do not allow the op-
portunity, the psychic moment, to
pass. At long range we shall come
down with the stamps; at short range
help to clear the sea lanes. But
something visible must be got to the
front-must go at once-the shine
of Yankee steel, the CLINT of the
Stars and Stripes.
The President is man of magma
tion. He is largely possessed of the
initiative. In this war he will have
to originate many thngs-maybe
break many precedents. He must
look to the spiritual and spectacular
as well as the physical. He knows
that what we are here saying is true
and we take it for granted that he
is considering how it may be made
effectual.
There is inspiration in the pictur-
esque. The commonplace of the SOL
dier's duty the humdrum of his
technical routine-even martial organ
ization and discipline-yield before
the actualities, the startling evolu
tons, of war. What was Bedford
Forrest but military paradox?
What was Grant but prodigy? At
first they said Sherman was crazy.
The "Little Corsicans"' of history
defy all rules. SO does Jour "Teddy
Bear" of Oyster Bay. That is what
makes him so interesting. Turn him
loose in the Low Countries and Quen-
tin Durward will live again. As of
old Israel Putnam it was said, "If
there's an Injun to be killed, or a red
coat to be found, he's the man to do
it," may we say of Theodore Roose
velt: "When deeds are to be done
you'll find him in the thick of them"
He will carry the flag and lead the
boys across the Rhine-no River of
Doubt to him!--and march into Ber-
line shouting, ''To He'll with the Ho
henzollerns!" He will not have to be
introduced to William of that ilk,
either-as like as not he will call him
"Bill"-and John Bull will hurrah
and Johnny Crapeau exclaim, "By