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IOVBMBBR G, 1903,
loors of Issue upon Its opponent and leave it
rith no other occupation than opposition for op
position's sake. Should that come which has
come before when the Issue was the sama, as a
sequence of this 'driveling Idiocy,1- thore will be
poor satisfaction for the Dispatch In being where
! it can say, T told you so "
It Is very evidont that some of the hereto
fore patient and persevering republican editors
I are becoming- weary of the "let well enough
alone" policy In the jpresence of serious public
evils. ." . '
V JJJ
Tell the Sendte.
Senator Redfield Proctor delivered an address
at the fortieth annual reunion of the Vermont
civil war veterans. Referring to the colonial
policy of the united States, he said: "The gov
ernment of a people of a country not contiguous
is at the best experimental and temporary."
Senator Proctor declared that
"Such a condition may last a long time,
but it cannot be permanent with training and
development. It Is the God-given human na
ture of all people to wish to govern them
selves and not owe allegiance across a sea.
"If J. could make the future geography of
the American Union I might be a little uncer
tain about the nation's northern boundary,
whether to make it Canada or the Arctic
ocean preferably the last, In God's good
time but the proper lines would be fixed east
by the Atlantic, west by the Pacific and south
by the republic of Mexico and the gulf, and
within those boundaries may the future gov
ernment of our country remain."
Mr. Proctor as an American statesman, may
have something to do with the making of "the
future geography of the American Union." If he
would boldly take a stand against the policy of
imperialism which his party has foisted upon this
government, if in the senate chamber ho would
speak as boldly as he spoke before the civil war
veterans, at Rutland, Vt, then It may not be
doubted that his- words would have great effect
in hastening the day of readjustment of the na
tion's policy with, respect to the Philippine isl
ands. If Mr. -Proctor was sincere In his state
ments at Rutland, and we have no reason to doubt
his sincerity, he should, at the earliest opportun
ity, express similar sentiments in the United
States senate.
JJJ
"Hedging."
In its issue of Wednesday, September 9, the
New York World had an editorial entitled "la
Wall Street Hedging?" In that editorial, the
World said:
y
"Some time ago Senator Piatt remarked
that of course President Roosevelt had 'friends
in Wall street,' and that if he had not he might
as well throw up the spongeor words to
that effect
"From the tone of a conspicuous editorial
in the Sun yesterday the public will- con
clude that the president's friends among what
he calls the 'propertied classes' are multiply
ing." Experienced men must understand that Wall
street seldom "hedges." The question is: Has
Mr. Roosevelt "hedged?" When wo are told that
Senator Piatt, who is indeed an authority on re
publican politics, has remarked that if Mr. Roose
velt has no -friends In Wall street, ho might as
well throw up tne sponge, and when we are told
that from the tone of a conspicuous editorial in
the New York Sun, It Is reasonable to conclude
that the president's, friends among what he calls
the "propertied classes" are multiplying, then we
are reminded of a dispatch printed in the Chicago
Record-Herald of Monday, August 24, and sent by
Walter Wellman, the Washington correspondent
of that newspaper. vIn that dispatch Mr. Well
man said: '"ine important point and the new
point is that President Roosevelt is behind this
currency reform scheme, pushing as only hs
The Commoner
knows how to push. He organized and promoted
the effort" And then Mr. Wellman asked, "Why
is President Roosevelt so much interested in cur
rency reform?" Replying to hie own question
Mr. Wellman, who Is generally understood to be
very close to tho Roosevelt administration, said:
"Mr. Roosevelt's masterly skill as a poli
tician has been employed so successfully that
no one suBpects he Is a politician tho best
tost in tho world. Having become tho most
popular man in tho United States and having
won the enthusiastic approval of the masses
by his fight upon tho trusts and tho corpora-'
tions, Mr. Roosovolt not long ago began to
cast about for methods by which ho might
even up. He had the people with him, but
tho trusts, the corporations, the financial lead
ers, tho bankers, wore nostllo. This hostility
was centered, in New Yoric. It chanced that
In New York and among these very people
there was a general and earnest desire for a
reformation of our currency system. Tho
president has gone in for that reformation
with his accustomed ardor and energy, and
it will not be his fault if the financial people
of Now York do not soon look upon him with
more favor."
In tho light of these statements, It would
seem that comment Is unnecessary.
JJJ
Long on Roosevelt.
Ex-Secretary Long of Mac:zchusetts has writ
ten for The Outlook an article that cannot bo
considered otherwise than as an unfriendly attack
on tho president Tho following is an extract:
"Washington, D. C, Oct 11. (Special.)
Frank and unreserved comment on the services
of Theodore Roosevelt as assistant secretary
of tho navy characterizes an article by John
D. Long, former secretary of tho navy, In tho
current issue of The OutlooK. Tho govern
ment officials and navy officers familiar with
the sometimes tense relations between Secre
tary Long and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
in thq trying period preceding the Spanish
American war have displayed the keenest In
terest In tho article of Mr. Long, who left the
cabinet not long after Mr. Roosevelt entered
the White house as president Hero is an
extract from the article:
" 'In May, 1897, on tho retirement of Mr.
McAdoo, I selected Mr. Roosevelt, who had
had a hearty interest In tho . avy. His activ
ity was characteristic He wa3 zealous in tho
work of putting the navy in condition for tho
apprehended struggle, and his ardor sometimes
went faster than the president or the depart
ment appreciated.
" 'Just before the war he was anxious to
send a squadron across the ocean to sink the
ships and torpedo boat destroyers of tho Span
ish fleet while we were yet at peace with
Spain, frequently Incorporating his views In
the memoranda, which he would place every
morning on my desk.
" 'Most of his suggestions, had, however,
. so far as applicable, already been adopted by
the various bureaus, the chiefs of which were
leaving nothing undone. When I suggested to
him that some future historian, reading his
memoranda, would get the impression that the
bureaus were inefficient he accepted the sug
gestion with the generous good nature which
is so marked in him.' "
Here is strenuousness in the extreme! Mr.
Long was secretary of tho navy at that time and
Mr. Roosevelt was assistant secretary, and now
comes tho chief and accuses the subordinate of de
siring to sink the ships of Srain "while we were
yet at peace" with that country. President Roose
velt told the students at West Point that a good
soldier "must not only be willing to fight, but
anxious to fight," but does that mean that a good
commander must slip up and destroy another na
tion's fleet before war is declared? It seems, too,
that the secretary became weary of having his
assistant make suggestions that had already been
carried out and finally the secretary told the sub
ordinate, in substance, to attend to his own busi
ness. The rebuke as even more severe he was
informed that some future historian reading his
numerous memoranda might get the imyresslon
that the bureaus were Inefficient This is a re
markable criticism, coming at this time aad from
such a source What Is Ita meaning? Can it b
intended to array tho friends of President Mc
Klnloy against his successor? Is it tho begin
ning of an antl-Roosovolt crusado?
JJJ
Preparing for the Contest.
Tho Commoner's special subscription offer has
found cordial rcsponno among the readers ol this
publication. Although this ofTcr wns mado public
only a fow wooks ago, raoro than 20,000 orders for
theso special subscription cards havo bcon re
ceived. '
Tho larger Tho Commoner's circulation la,
tho greater influence this publication will bo able
to exert In advancing the principles to which it is
devoted. It is doubtful If there Is than The Com
moner anothor publication whoac readers so gen
erally and so cordially co-opcrato In any move
ment to advanco tho principles advocated by that
publication. On many occasions readers have
shown not only thoir willingness, but tholr de
termination to do anything in their power to ad
vanco tho Interests of Tho Commoner and thereby
give substantial aid in tho .lght for tho preserva
tion of democratic principles.
Tho "lots of five" plan adopted by The Com
moner last year was productive. of good results.
Those results were duo to tho generous assistance
of Commoner readers and if tho present under
taking bo successful, and there Is every reason at
this writing to believe that it will bo oven more
successful than last year's effort was, the credit
will bo duo to tho readers of Tho Commoner.
Tho presidential campaign of 1904 is practical
ly upon us and a desperato fight will bo mado by
tho representatives of special interests to reor
ganize tho democratic party and place it under
tho control of thoso having no regard for the
principles of that party.
Thoso who believe In democratic principles
as enunciated in tho Kansas City platform, those
who object to tho ropubllcanlzatlon of tho demo
cratic party, may contribute much to their party's
dofenso by assisting In oxtondlng tho circulation
and therefore tho Influence of Tho Commoner.
Tho plan proposed this year I. similar to the
one submitted last year and known as tho lots
of five plan.
Cards, each good for one year's subscription
to Tho Commoner, will be furnished in lots of five
at the rate of ?3 per lot.
This places the yearly subscription rate at
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Any one ordering tho cards may sell them
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each lot sold, or he may sell them at tho cost
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has contributed to the eifort to widen The Com
moner's sphere of influen'e.
; These cards may be paid for when ordered or
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A coupon-is printed below for the convenience
of those who are willing to assist In tho coming
contest.
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