Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1908 — A TIMELY WARNING. [ARTICLE]

A TIMELY WARNING.

Indianapolis News (Rep.). In Mr. Hornaday’s letter of Monday it was this:

The fact is that the entire Federal machine—the business machinery of the United States —with the exception of the courts, is today being used by President Roosevelt to make sure the election of his candidate for President. He does not have to conimdhd three-quarters of a million Federal officeholders to get out and work for his candidate. The knowledge that the campaign is being conducted from the. White House; that Cabinet meetings are devoted to the campaign, is all that is necessarytoptrt them to work. But thts activity on the part qLFederat officeholders is not the worst feature. It is not half as demoralizing as the use of the presidential influence on men who are not in office, men to whom the lust of office does not appeal. An invitation from the President of the United States has always been regarded as a command.

No such centralization as this has ever before been known—unless possibly in the days of Andrew Jackson —in the history of this Government. The campaign for Taft is bdlng openly conducted from the White House. The work of raising money is being carried on by the President, and seemingly with brilliant success. Since Mr. Roosevelt took charge the national organization has practically gone to pieces. The famous executive committee has retired from the field. “When,” says Mr. Hornaday, “the management of lhe campaign y bs transferred to the White House there was nothing for the committeemen to do except hang around and talk to persons sent to headquarters by the President, and they did not< relish that line of work.”

To this we have come in |he United States in this year, 1908. The Government itself has been converted into an agency for the control of the political action of the people. It was bad enough for the President to seek to impose his will on Congress, bad enough for him to criticise and denounce the courts. But now we have him using his office, and the whole executive power of the Government to control the political action of the people. The headquarters of the Republican party are now In the President’s office at Washington. We regard such a situation as this as being extremely dangerous. If the people wish to elect Mr. Taft President, that is their right. But it is fcr them to say whether they want to do so or not. The great office of President ought not - to be available as an asset for either political party. There is no secrecy about the present performances. Doubtless the President sees no need for secrecy, as he probably sees nothing wrong in his conduct. And yet what is going on is the making of a President, not by the people, buZ by their Government. What that means we leave to the patriotic, liberty-loving, - thoughtful Americans to say.