Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 166, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1918 — CITIZEN ROOSEVELT. [ARTICLE]

CITIZEN ROOSEVELT.

Whatever disappointment may be felt in Republican circles in New York over the positive refusal of Theodore Roosevelt to accept a nomination for the office of Governor,” it is likely that the multitude erf people outside of that state who place corfiedence in him as a great public leader will be glad of his decision. - . It is true, as he says, that -.he .office of Governor of New York is a highly important and responsible one and that a tender of the nomination from an influential element of the party, including one candidate for the place, who is ready to withdraw in his favor, is a great honor. But it is also true that the state has many important internal problems to consider which would' consume all the time and thought of the incumbent of the office, and Col. Roosevelt says that with his mind absorbed with national and international affairs, as it has been for four could turn from them with any heart to deal with domestic questions, vital though they are. This feeling may be readily understood and should be accepted without criticism by the New York petitioners as a sufficient cause for his rejection of their offer. . But there is a stronger reason than the colonel s own preferences in the matter why he should remain free frpm responsibility for public duties that other men can perform- The country needs him in the role he has occupied for the past four years, that of creator of sound war sentiment and leader of public opinion. For two years his was a voice crying in the wilderness. The nation took the position that it was a mere onlooker at a deplorable European tragedy. An incubus of netrality even in speech was officially laid upon it. Its patriotism was blanketed; its eyes were blinded to the truth; it gave a friendly ear to pacifist doctrine, not realizing that this was, intentionally or not, pro-German propaganda. But Col. Roosevelt refused to be silent and refused to be neutral. He warned the country that sooner or later we should be involved in the war; he pointed out that we were safe only because the British navy stood temporarily between us and danger; he urged preparation as a means of self-protection;'he urged voluntary participation in war as a duty to ourselves and the allies. Always from the beginning he preached the need of haste. He had the worst of walls to battle down, namely, passive opposition, the heavy contentment of the comfortable and the selfish who did not wish to hear anything disagreeable. But finally the barrier was broken and the sentiment of public and administration changed. Without doubt Col. Roosevelt _ was the most powerful * agency in effecting this change. Nearly all the things he advocated have come about—preparation 'for war on a large scale, the building of ships and airplanes, the making of munitions, conscription, unlimited aid to the allies. They have come slowly, not swiftly as he would have had them, but our armies are now in France and doing noble service. But the country needs him yet. There are great problems of warstill to be considered and far greater ones of peace whose settlement may affect our nation fdr good .or ill for the next hundred years. We need to have the mind of this statesman and patriot directed to these things in order that here again his views may help to guide the nation. The New York Tribune suggests that he could render great service as a member of the House of Representatives, but while there is need of a strong war leader there, the colonel’s influence in the coming controversies is likely to be greater if he is left with the free hand of the private citizen than as a party leader only. To him as our greatest private citizen, the country, not a party only, looks for guidance in this world crisis.—lndianapolis Star.