theodore roosevelt-第49节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
On June 18th Mr。 and Mrs。 Roosevelt reached New York。 All the way up the harbor from Sandy Hook； he was escorted by a vast concourse of vessels； large and small； tugs； steamboats； and battleships。 At the Narrows； Fort Wadsworth greeted him with the Presidential salute of twenty…one guns。 The revenue…cutter； Androscoggin； took him from the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria； on which he had crossed the ocean； and landed him at the Battery。 There an immense multitude awaited him。 Mayor Gaynor bade him welcome； to which he replied briefly in affectionate words to his fellow countrymen。 Then began a triumphal procession up Broadway； and up Fifth Avenue； surpassing any other which New York had seen。 No other person in America had ever been so welcomed。 The million or more who shouted and cheered and waved； were proud of him because of his great reception in Europe； but they admired him still more for his imperishable work at home； and loved him most of all； because they knew him as their friend and fellow； Theodore Roosevelt； their ideal American。 A group of Rough Riders and two regiments of Spanish War Veterans formed his immediate escort； than whom none could have pleased him better。
His head was not turned； but his heart must have overflowed with gratitude。
Later； when the crowds had dispersed； he went into a bookstore； and some one in the street having recognized him； the word passed； and a great crowd cheered him as he came out。 Telling his sister of the occurrence； he said； 〃And they soon will be throwing rotten apples at me！〃
CHAPTER XXI。 WHICH WAS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY？
Did those words of Roosevelt spring from his sense of humorhumor which recognizes the topsy…turvy of life and its swift changes； and still laughsor from the instinct which knows that even in the sweetest of all experiences there must be a drop of bitterness？ Whatever their cause； they proved to be a true foreboding。 He had not been home twenty four hours before he perceived； on talking with his friends； that the Republican Party during his absence had drifted far from the course he had charted。 〃His policies〃 had vanished with his control； and the men who now managed the Administration and the party regarded him； not merely with suspicion； but with aversion。
To tell the story of this conflict is the disagreeable duty of the historian of。 that period； especially if he have friends and acquaintances on both sides of the feud。 There are some facts not yet known； there are others which must be touched upon very delicately if at all； and； in the main； so much of the episode grew out of personal likes and dislikes that it is hard to base one's account of it on documents。 In trying to get at the truth； I have been puzzled by the point…blank contradictions of antagonistic witnesses； whose veracity has not been questioned。 Equally perplexing are the lapses of memory in cases where I happen to have seen letters or documents written at the time and giving real facts。 The country would assuredly have been alarmed if it had suspected that； during the years from 1909 to 1912； the statesmen who had charge of it； were as liable to attacks of amnesia as they proved to be later。
The head and front of the quarrel which wrecked the Republican Party must be sought in Roosevelt's thoroughly patriotic desire to have a successor who should carry on the principles which he had fought for and had embodied in national laws during the nearly eight years of his Presidency。 He felt more passionately than anybody else the need of continuing the work he had begun； not because it was his work； but because on it alone； as he thought； the reconciliation between Capital and Labor in the United States could be brought about； and the impending war of classes could be prevented。 So he chose Judge Taft as the person who； he believed； would follow his lead in this undertaking。 But the experience of a hundred and ten years； since Washington was succeeded by John Adams； might have taught him that no President can quite reproduce the qualities of his predecessor and that the establishment of a Presidential dynasty is not congenial to the spirit of the American people。 Jefferson did； indeed； hand on his mantle to Madison； and the experiment partially succeeded。 But Madison was much nearer Jefferson in ability and influence than Judge Taft was near Roosevelt。
During the campaign of 1908； and immediately after the election； we can imagine that Mr。 Taft was sincerely open to Roosevelt's suggestions； and that he quite naturally gave Roosevelt the impression that he intended to follow them； not because they were Roosevelt's； but because they were his own also。 As soon as he began to realize that he was President； and that a President has a right to speak and act on his own motion； Mr。 Taft saw other views rising within him； other preferences； other resolves。 From the bosom of his family he may have heard the exhortation； 〃Be your own President； don't be any body's man or rubber stamp。〃 No doubt intimate friends strengthened this advice。 The desire to be free and independent； which lies at the bottom of every normal heart； took possession of him also； further； was it not the strict duty of a President to give the country the benefit of his best judgment instead of following the rules laid down by another； or to parrot another's doctrines？
Whatever may have been the process by which the change came； it had come before Taft's inauguration。 He chose a new Cabinet； although Roosevelt supposed that several of the members of his Cabinet would be retained。 Before the Colonel started for Africa he felt that a change had come； but he went away with the hope that things would turn out better than he feared。 His long absence under the Equator would relieve any anxiety Taft might have as to Roosevelt's intention to dictate or interfere。
Very little political news reached the Colonel while he was hunting。 On reaching Italy； on his return journey； he met Mr。 Gifford Pinchot； who had come post…haste from New York； and conveyed to him the latest account of the political situation at home。 It was clear that the Republican Party had split into two factions…the Regulars； who regarded President Taft as their standard…bearer； and the Insurgents； who rallied round Roosevelt； and longed desperately for his return。 To the enemies of the Administration； it seemed that Mr。 Taft had turned away from the Rooseveltian policies。 In his appointments he had replaced Roosevelt men by Regulars。 His Secretary of the Interior； Mr。 Ballinger； came into conflict with Mr。 Pinchot over conservation； and the public assumed that the President was not only unconcerned to uphold conservation； but was willing that the natural resources of the Nation should fall again into the hands of greedy private corporations。 This assumption proved to be false； and Secretary Ballinger was exonerated by a public investigation； but for two years； at least； the cloud hung over Mr。 Taft's reputation； and； as always happens； the correction being far less nimble than the accusation； took a much longer time in remedying the harm that it had done。
When； therefore； Roosevelt landed at the Battery on June 18； 1910； the day of his apotheosis； he knew that a factional fight was raging in the Republican Party。 His trusty followers； and every one who bore a grudge against the Administration； urged him to unfurl his flag and check any further disintegration； but prudence controlled him and he announced that he should not speak on political matters for at least two months。 He was sincere； but a few days later at the Harvard Commencement exercises he met Governor Hughes； of New York State； who was waging a fierce struggle against the Machine to put through a bill on primary elections。 The Governor begged the Colonel as a patriotic boss…hating citizen； to help him； and Roosevelt hastily wrote and dispatched to Albany a telegram urging Republicans to support Hughes。 In the result； his advice was not heeded； a straw which indicated that the Machine no longer feared to disregard him。
For several weeks Roosevelt waited and watched； and found out by personal investigation how the Republican Party stood。 It took little inspection to show him that the Taft Administration was not carrying out his policies； and that the elements against which he had striven for eight years were creeping back。 Indeed； they had crept back。 It would be unjust to Mr。 Taft to assert that he had not continued the war on Trusts。 Under his able Attorney…General； Mr。 George W。 Wickersham； many prosecutions were going forward； and in some cases the legislation begun by Roosevelt was extended and made more effective。 I speak now as to the general course of Mr。 Taft's Administration and not specially of the events of 1910。 In spite of this continuation of the battle with the Octopusas the Big Interests； Wall Street； and Trusts were indiscriminately nicknamedthe public did not believe that Mr。 Taft and his assistants pushed the fight with their whole heart。 Perhaps they were misjudged。 Mr。 Taft being in no sense a spectacular person； whatever he did would lack the spectacular quality which radiated from all Roosevelt's actions。 Then； too； the pioneer has deservedly a unique reward。 Just as none of the na
