Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 34, Number 112, 28 February 1909 — Page 7

f. "

if-- 4 Tins nr CTITTTfl OT) PAllADira A!fD SUN-TE LEGC AM, tJUOT AT, PEDltUARY PACTS VLS. . ROOSEELT A GREAT MAN, IS Or ' Is He, as His Critics Say, Merely a Sham ? )

THEODORE

Is Theodore Roosevelt a great . man or a sham? Is he a hero or a humbug?These are the questions which the Herald today submits to Its read' era for their answer. ' There Is a cloud of witnesses to either jthsxacierlzstion. Mr. James Cryae he praised him as the greatest president since Washington: Mr. Edward Harrlman has denounced him as the awst dangerous man that ever occupied the presidential chair. Between these two extremes all sorts of tatorniadtate shades of opinion have been expressed by friends and foes. . What verbal compromise, if , any, would succinctly turn up his virtue end hi failing? Mr. Roosevelt's three most characterising sayings are "the strenuous life," "the square deal" and "the big "fr His admirers bold that he has embodied all three before the world, 4m they light or wnomg? Canceratag bis strenuoslty there can fee wo enastloa. He is the ot active, the most energetic, the most forceful, of all our present day statesmen. But are his activities always directed Into proper channels? C la his aerr utilised or wasted? Is his force aiwsy or usually exerted on the fright side? ' Ha fee given a square deal to his fees as weU as to his friends, given it alike to the business man, the politician, the private Individual, the gen eral public? We fee wielded the big stick to the benefit of the .countries sad the peoples under our patronage? " , . Of his personal popularity there can be so more doubt than of hia strenuesBut is the good feejj ag which ha creates" born of unqualified admiration and respect? 7 Or is there a burlesque side to hia character which appeals gratefully to our sense of humor? In other words, is the nation's darling a spoiled child? Or is he a massive, many aided, fall grown man who imposes himself upon ua Jy aheer force of hia intellect, hia virtues' and hi dominating personal ity? ::-'-'--;'--,i,vy:-i'4:;7-

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY. : The' greatest president : since Wash IngtbnXjamee Bryce. Theodore Roosevelt has borne himself well in the presidential chair. He has done his duty as he saw it, fearlessly, wisely and Impartially. In sa. doing be haa offended many mUltoaalres, a legion of snobs and a multitude of foots, Boston pilot. I have seen two tremendous works of nature.- One is Niagara Falls and the other la the president of the United States, and I am not sure which Is the wore wonderful.--John Morley. Take Mr. Gladstone,, Mr. Rhodes, , Lord Charles Beresford and John Burns. Boil them down until you get the residuum esseaee Into an Amert- ' can ' Dutchman, and you have something like the . new president of . the United States. English Review ot Reviews;;, , : 'p1.!;.:;';:':'"?'f'''.:. ' assssssa -'7',':, The American president Is by far the meet interesting personage In alt the world of the present day. Merita Deutsche Tages Zeitung. The president has not, since he has been la the White House, estbLUhe4 for himself a reputation for accuracy, and this tact will put the public on guard, against a too precipitate eondem- . nation of those whom he. accuses. Baltimore Sun. At this mdmeat President Roawrstt , la probably the most ratereerlng poJltIcal 1 figure in the " world.london Spectator (1002.) v ' He is the true statesman of the twentieth century, and as - such deserves well ot hia country and of all tarta of the globe.-Baron D'Eatoufnelles de Constant. . Here is a president acting as a benevolent despot, waiving the laws of the United States as It suits him and whan It suits him. Could personal rule, executive usurpation and the utssjesA poasiWltttes of corrupt and irresponsible dictatorship further go? Albany Argus. It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that Is respect of certain peculiar ttiee at temper and language the president Is treated as more or leas of a, Jake, shall we say,, a laughing stock? ls Washington. Milwaukee Sentinel. : President Roosevelt. In huntingthrough various American jungles, has. truck big game. But the public likes him because he is not afraid of tho biggest of them and because he helde hia duty to tha people paramountTroy Thnek V; The country has seen presidents, many of them, who have been out of sympathy with the policies of their congresses. but we doubt whether the eonntr has ever seen a president, who, Uxe lir. RooeeveU, haa mad. Uastt ao oSraaalve to hia legislative bodies, tt Is a pity. New Haven Journal Courlar. ' ' That Theodore Roosevelt haa abused his office; that - his natural oaalittea have led to the most alarming and, lamsit&le consequences; that his an. brpHwi last of seK-aggraadlament an

ml pf! lit' I .. if-' . ; , it 0 love ot publicity threaten the stability it not the very existence of political structure In which he holds office all these facts do not justify or excuse the congress of the United States in adding its efforts to his to humiliate the nation. Roosevelt, without its aid. haa done all that is necessary : to dagrade aad dishonor the American nation. New York Sun. Qeeraa Harrie, D. President of Amherst College: "I am an admirer ot President Roosevelt a great admixer of him and if I were going to answer 7 either of these questions I would wish to do the subject full' justie. Both are questions that would entail 7 considerable 7 thought, The president is a great executive. There can be no doubt of that.; I look upon enysetf as being enthusiastic concern, lag what be has accomplished. His place ia history well, it will be a high one, I am sure. - How will posterity view hhn? Of - that I cannot, any. 1 believe posterity will do him lull justice at least." J Jafaan Walter Crook Professor of Politieai Economy. Amherst college: . f am Inclined to think that RoosevoltV place in history is that of belag. oaa of the recoTiBtructors of our American democracy. In the system of competition in

-8

4 business the Anglo-Saxons are allowed more freedom than'' is best, and Roosevelt's function has been to call attention to the social interests. It sometimes has been forgotten. "Posterity will forget bis weaknesses (which perhaps, are connected with Impulsiveness. It will forget all this and f will ; remember his straightforward action in the interests of the whole people and accord him a place among the larger minded men of the republic. I do not mean bv this that he will be looked upon as greater than Washington or Lircoln, but that he will take rank with any of the othera. . Frederick Lincoln Thompson,' Professor of history at Amherst:- "I cannot answer either of the questions. The fact Is I trr to teach my students history and never attempt to indulge in prophecy. Therefore I hesitate, m fact -will net attempt to place - Mr. Roosevelt in history or venture an opinion aa to how he may be regarded in future years." , , Thomaa Nixon Carver,, Ph. D., LI D Professor of Political Economy of Harvard University: "l should resard President Roosevelt as the noisiest president we have ever had. am somewhat different from others in my ideaa recardlng juat what place ia

1- Tc

t;v. tfEr ,4f ., . 5r

THE RETIRING (PRESIDENT

history he will hold. In tact, T don't think -that 1 would be able to answer that question at all. I will say that I think him to be one of the greatest presidents. I do not however, think him the greatest no ho Is not that. To my mind be will be given in posterity something about the same plane as Andrew ' Jackson- Jackson : and Roosevelt are somewhat similar. Beyond what I have said. . X do not think I could make any further prophecy.'': Professor K. J. Ford of the Polities Department of Princctoni -"Roosevelt did a ereat deal to facilitate the development of the presidential office as the chief representative of the people. : He did not taitiate , the conception ot the . presidency; as a. representative InatUatloBThatwaa a question at, iseuabtwees tie whlgs and the democrats, 'and President Polk was the first -executive to distinctly announce the doctrisMr that the president . represented the nation as a whole and isf; the-only' branch, of the government that does.: Congress represento localitiea aad special ,' interests. . - ;-"': - - "President Roosevelt has done more to give beneficial power to this doctriae thoB any of hia- predeeoaaors,. however. Hia sdmialatratton wCl -doubtedly hO-aeereOad wRh great constitutional importance aad . : will

3

THIwni ft -d 0 shine in history as the most powerful movement ever made up to his time to infuse a democratic character Into the . conduct of government and to bring the course ot legislation under' the control of public opinion. Although It is hard to predict what place posterity will assign him. there is nodoubt in my mind that the president is a great man in every sense ot the word. His rudeness of speech and action are characteristic of great men and one might almost say that they, are a necessary contingent upon greatness In the field of politics. The petty, spiteful actions of the congress, whose successors have already been elected and which is in reality no longer entitled to office, are more than reprehensible . ami merely the mean narrow revenge of a body whose corruption has been revealed.' R- H. McElroy, Professor of History in Princeton: "There is no denying the foremost rank that Roosevelt's administration will attain ia . history, bat, whether, this is dee to the pres-' dent's personal ability or merely to force of circumstances and to tho excellence of bis advisors Secretaries Hay and Rootis a question ia my mind. Wo are not In a posrttoav at present to censure , Roosevelt. It wrST probably be many years paa&c win be ia true facts of the case fa tha reeeat

'r

tt 2 aa'pleaaaatneaa and not until then he be assigned to hia proper ataei history. Hia administration Is spicuous because of the number of affairs of world-wide interest and Importance that have been eaawanaaustod la the last seven years, bat any prophecy as to the enduring greataees of Roose velt the man is lihaty to bo dieted by the verdict of tbo next eratiosu Too many aan la their, time hare been rewcatad to obBvton in forty or fifty years for nan to ventvre a. predicttsnt aa to Roomv velt's Iasttog greatness." 7 . W- ftt. Daniels, Profe cal Economy in veH will probably he avows host ta Ansavfeaa history as one .wdap aaacai--fied the powers and arttvtSaa. af tho presidential office, 1 perhaps -aa oao wha'beKaa what seems to be a aalav' tary movement In the direction of r-f ; sasdxlng the politieai chaos which oarf irresponsible system of dark , ksstera j leasmtton has created in state aad 1 nation. Perhaps next I ia hia inauguration, of policy which has brought largo earsar ate netereeta to feel thasanslwea asV Jeet tothe law of tho laad. For those it-nwais an imporfaaf pmea fa story at assured him' , ' Or. PasT ft wan- Cj Tlt'.imui of

History la

pace ta history can It

til a sufficient time ana A very, of th Uarvwratty of Nabraska: I believo that tn tha Tatnre history of oar country resident Roosevelt's admlalitmtt l wCl b ra , f cho wtth any great crlata. Hts wffl ho aaoointcd wtth the auocsaful aias T tha great work at national para Hood law, the i projects of tha arid West and a general Awakening of tha country for civic to BTOSMte eOcteacy ta the navy will receive honorable and hia forcefulness of character and of parpose will be umlrataally "Rtflte noted, haesefar. that ta hia efforts to aceamsAfadk what ho regarded as aiiLHseaiy for the pwbUe welfare n not always asm federal corcnaeAt and txt fee Yt the legacy ot expensive method ta tSx adssialatratkm of govarnmant to asagrated that he dU not at ttsscc ssmw a farmer Judgment ta dealing wltsi feaClMania. Ifite tha preaeat Qersaan Cnv peror, ha wtU ha lemembared U history aa ema of the atrfzing Cvuti f our Uaao." W. C L. Taylor, Profwsaor of Political Bconosny and Coaaaserocv TJarrersitjr of Wohnnnm: eoaevelt as only a great man. but tha President of tho United States siao Waihragtoa ' A grant man la not neeeaarfty one of intellectual genlua, hat he mast possess transceada Ity. facssdlag In that term tha. to laCuanes niea. For twenty jreara ha . tho atteatloa and txSaof tha American paople with evar. growing aSecL Dariag tha latter part of that time he haa had as a political opponent W. J. -Bryan, tha greatest popular orator the world haa yeiaeaa. Roocavett haa aubatltu'ad. honaaty focrCcaaxty ta poUtka, iCrectloA for rrectlon la CI'ptooacy. C hu curLLl tha truata and eomrflshed more than aver before ta tha way of raising tha general snoral tone. . ..' "Be haa dlsarpolnted all the prerheta of evil; he has not tavolved us la war, but glvea aa a voice amoax nations. Ha-has earned tha CI wfl of Colonel narvey and of all those wba tire of hesriag AristUes caDad The JuaV - ; "A slender, delicate boy. hia doexrtaa of aairgl haa showa that a win unhampered by acwaamlshaeaa aad fsar can make the salad aad body aad rle a nation.'' Irving Flahar. of Yale: n. believe that reel teat Roosevelt wl go down 1a history aa one of our great Presidents. Undoubtedly no has his faults, and they are uppermost la the minds of a great many people, aad isdoubtedly he haa made mistakes which , ha probably wn bd the nrst to reoosnlxe. But one of tha very reaaoca I admire him is because he ia not deterred from gotag ahead because of the mistakes he may make. This m a thue when rapid action Is asaded aad a policy of overcautious dealings la apt to do more permaawnt daasase thaa the Roosereltlan policy, which haa ksaa sera or lesa Jaatly accaaad of betss "It seems to ma that tha harm Presi dent Roosevelt may have than thatwhlca of doing. For tastsaea, Ca paale of taut year was fasten! oa tZr. Roosevelt by many persona who cx tho- CnaaeJal aad- tasaetory null waleht asadw ft favtta W all ought to Roosevelt for tie S)f llT.'l simple aad yet rare cueim Of ago aa tateerRy of for a maltRodo of pottficfcui la tuatd to be ana by as: Ht. Rous ai lit 1 jTRaCty aad has wfStasaoat aad tomtbfsrkhthjtcL. Ho haa uaajid aad has atSioi grrHe haa bee 1 wSh so load a : ' that la Cho only waythe 1 aeKaoeCaetfteiy nir7 aasU gssKtr C osCi cl tssy ta ta -.fi -ci-rr 2a g3 Crr cZ-i

aaoner or later.