Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-06

attempted there. and that he used the
whole military force of the United states
to intimidate Colombia. Some time af-
/ tcrward the New York World and tie
/ indianapolis News printed an article
charging illegitimate mOtiNeS-Roose-
velt's name was not involved, but those
of a number Of high-placed men We're
The President invoked the whole ma
chinery of government to punish JOS
eph Pulitzer and Delavan Smith, the
proprictOrs of the two papers.
The first important corporation litiga-
tiun during his Administration was the
prosecution Of the Northern Securities
Company. organized and sponsored by
iames J. Ilil. the Empire Builder of
the Northwest" The company was
holding corporation for railroad and
steamship lines. The supreme Court
upheld the Governments contentious,
and the company was dissolved. AS a
result of this suit. the President brought
on himself the bitter opposition of many
men Of wealth. who were inclined TO
consider his attitude toward large COM
bines as menace TO the financial IN
terestS Of the country.
Autocratic suit Failed
He met one of the first real defeats
of his life wien the Federal courts re-
fused to accede to the new and eNtraor-
dnary doctrine he attempted to set UP
that an editor anywhere in the country
in the District oc Columbia for a libel
against the United States Government.
prov led that il could be shown that
copie of his n'~spaper were circulated
in tn District. II was really one of the
most audaclous and autocratic attempts
that Roosevelt ever made.
/ He never did get along well with the
courts and in private conversation he
often complained humorously that when
ever he appointed a Judge to the bench
that Judge Immediately began render
( ing decisions adverse to his policies
one Sucl case was that of Justice Oliver
Wendell Holmes, of the United stats
supreme Court.
Roosevelt was nominated for President
unanimously by the Republican COEven-
tion in 1904, te remained silent until
toward the close Of the campaign, wien
he delivered his famous blast against
lis opponent, Alton B. Parker. Judge
Parker had charged that National
Chairman Cortelyou. with the Presi-
dent, knowledge, was obtaining con-
tributions from corporations by reasOI;
Of his power over them as Secretary
of Commerce and Labor. The Preside Ut
issued statement putting Parker in
the Ananias club, and II was here that
he employed his famous square deal
term, saying
All | ask is a square deal Give
every man a fair chance don't let
b any one harm him, and don't lot him
do harm 10 any one.
In the election that year he received
the largest popular and electoral vote
ever given to President up 70 that
time, receiving Il popular majority over
all opposing Cand dates of l.729,SO9
votes. and in the Electoral College 1886
votes 20 lao FOR Parker.
lie now entered upon what he cnnSid
cred his first real term, the other having
been the uneXpircd portion of McKin-
ley's, In his first year he had the op-
portunity to pcrforH one Of the greatest
s,F II h..
mcnt Of the RussO-Japanrse War. lie
brought the contcndlng nations together,
and at a time when It seemed that the
Peace Commissioners At Portsmouth had
reached a hopeless deadlock ne exerted
hts personal Influence upon them, with
the result that the bloody struggle was
ended.
Largest Popular Majority
For this the President received the
Nobel Peace Prize, given annually to the
person who snail have done most during
the year tO promote the peace Of the
world But he himself has always said
that his greatest contribution to the
cause Of peace was not the negotiation
Of the Portsmouth Treaty, hut his act
In sending the American fleet 10 the Pa
cinc In 1907 He believed all his life
thar that act averted war between Japan
and the United States, and Admira
Evans. the commander Of the fleet. was
one Il those who agreed with him.
In the same year, 1908, he began fight
ing for the regulation Of railroad rates,
The Townsend bill, his first essay
in that line. was beaten, as he had ex-
pectcd it 70 be but in 1906 he forced tho
Hepburn hill through Congress in the
face Of such bitter opposition from his
own party thar he was Obliged to form
at one time an alliance with the Demo
Gratis. The latter charged bitterly that
he throw them aside like ct squeezed
lemon when they had served his purpose
and the air was full Of ordinations and
reCrlmiuat!Cns
But whatever he may have done with
the Democrats, he had no hesitation IN
breaking with the leaders Of his own
party, such as Aldrich, and putting IL
the forefront one OF the younger and less
conspicuous Senator's, DOlliver. of Iowa
and had the satisfaction Of putting his
bill through.
April II. 1906, ne publicly expressed
, his advocacy of national inheritance
tdN, saying We shall ultimately have
To consider the adoption Of some such
scheme as that of progressive tax Oi
all fortunes" and subsequently he de,
clared himself in favor Of an income
tax.
His popularity now was at it's Creates
height, and by merely saying the WORD
he could have had thiri term. II
, fact II took his utmost EFFORTS TO pre-
vent the party from Forcing one upOr
, him, Blu: on the night Of his election
in l90i he had announced that he wCuli
under no circumstances accept another
nomination Afterward he oXpla inoC
that this referred 10 a third consecutive
term,
Had Taft Nominated
lie undertook to secure the nominate
ot his friend. William ~. Taft, the Sec
retary Of War. lie often said that h,
would go from the White House to tn,
Capitol on his hands and knees 10 &c
Taft the nomination" The party wa