theodore roosevelt-第56节
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evening； summoned Senator Beveridge and sent him off with the manuscript of the address to take his place。 Mrs。 Roosevelt reached Chicago by the first train possible； and stayed with him while he underwent； impatiently； nearly a fortnight's convalescence。 Then； much sooner than the surgeons thought wise； although his wound had healed with remarkable speed； he returned to Oyster Bay； and on October 30th he closed his campaign by addressing sixteen thousand persons in the Madison Square Garden。 He spoke with unwonted calm and judicial poise； and so earnestly that the conviction which he felt carried conviction to many who heard him。 〃I am glad beyond measure；〃 he said； 〃that I am one of the many who in this fight have stood ready to spend and be spent； pledged to fight； while life lasts； the great fight for righteousness and for brotherhood and for the welfare of mankind。〃
President Taft and the members of his Cabinet took little or no active part in the campaign。 Indeed； the Republicans seemed unable to arouse enthusiasm。 They relied upon their past victories and the robust campaign fund； which the Interests gladly furnished。 The Democratic candidate was Woodrow Wilson； Governor of New Jersey； who had been professor at Princeton University； and then its president。 As Governor； he had commended himself by fighting the Machine； and by advocating radical measures。 As candidate； he asserted his independence by declaring that 〃a party platform is not a program。〃 He spoke effectively； and both he and his party had the self…complacency that comes to persons who believe that they are sure to win。 And how could their victory be in doubt since the united Democrats had for opponents the divided Republicans？ When Colonel Roosevelt was shot； Governor Wilson magnanimously announced that he would make no more speeches。 Roosevelt objected to this； believing that a chance accident to him； personally； ought not to stop any one from criticising him politically。 〃What ever could with truth and propriety have been said against me and my cause before I was shot； can；〃 he urged； 〃with equal truth and equal propriety； be said against me now； and it should so be said； and the things that cannot be said now are merely the things that ought not to have been said before。 This is not a contest about any man； it is a contest concerning principles。〃
At the election on November 5th； Wilson was elected by 6；286；000 votes out of 15；310；000 votes； thus being a minority President by two million and a half votes。 Roosevelt received 4；126；000 and Taft 3；483；000 votes。 The combined vote of what had been the Republican Party amounted to 7；609；000 votes； or 1；323；000 more than those received by Mr。 Wilson。 When it came to the Electoral College； the result was even more significant。 Wilson had 435； Roosevelt 88； and Taft； thanks to Vermont and Utah； secured 8 votes。 Roosevelt carried Pennsylvania the rock…bound Republican State； Missouri which was usually Democratic； South Dakota； Washington； Michigan； and eleven out of the thirteen votes of California。 These figures； analyzed calmly； after the issues and passions have cooled into history； indicate two things。 First； the amazing personal popularity of Roosevelt； who； against the opposition of the Republican Machine and all its ramifications； had so easily defeated President Taft； the candidate of that Machine。 And secondly； it proved that Roosevelt； and not Taft； really represented a large majority of what had been the Republican Party。 Therefore； it was the Taft faction which； in spite of the plain evidence given at the choice of the delegates； and at the Convention itselfevidence which the Machine tried to ignore and suppressit was the Taft faction and not Roosevelt which split the Republican Party in 1912。
Had it allowed the preference of the majority to express itself by the nomination of Roosevelt； there is every reason to believe that he would have been elected。 For we must remember that the Democratic Platform was hardly less progressive than that of the Progressives themselves。 Counting the Wilson and the Roosevelt vote together； we find 10；412；000 votes were cast for Progressive principles against 3；483；000 votes for the reactionary Conservatives。 And yet the gray wolves of the Republican Party； and its Old Guard； and its Machine； proclaimed to the country that its obsolescent doctrines represented the desires and the ideals of the United States in 1912！
Although the campaign； as conducted by the Republicans； seemed listless； it did not lack venom。 Being a family fight between the Taft men and the Roosevelt men； it had the bitterness which family quarrels develop。 Mr。 Taft and most of his Secretaries had known the methods of Mr。 Roosevelt and his Ministers。 They could counter； therefore； charges of incompetence and indifference by recalling the inconsistencies； or worse； of Roosevelt's regime。 When the Progressives charged the Taft Administration with being easy on the Big Interests； Attorney…General Wickersham resorted to a simple sum in arithmetic in order to contradict them； showing that whereas Roosevelt began forty…four Anti…Trust suits； and concluded only four important cases during his seven and a half years in office； under Taft sixty…six new suits were begun and many of the old ones were successfully concluded。 Some great cases； like that of the Standard Oil and of the Railroad Rates； had been settled； which equaled in importance any that Roosevelt had taken up。 In the course of debate on the stump； each side made virulent accusations against the other； and things were said which were not true then and have long since been regretted by the sayers。 That happens in all political contests。
Roosevelt himself； being the incarnation； if not indeed the cause； of the Progressive Party； had to endure an incessant volley of personal attack。 They charged him with inordinate ambition。 We heard how Mr。 William Barnes； Jr。； the would…be savior of the country； implied that Roosevelt must be defeated in order to prevent the establishment of monarchy in the United States。 Probably Mr。 Barnes； in his moments of reflection； admitted to himself that he did not really mean that； but many campaign orators and editors repeated the insinuation and besought free…born Americans not to elect a candidate who would assume the title of King Theodore。 Many of his critics could account for his leaving the Republican Party and heading another； only on the theory that he was moved by a desire for revenge。 If he could not rule he would ruin。 The old allegation that he must be crazy was of course revived。
After the election； the Republican Regulars； who had stubbornly refused； to read the handwriting on the wall during the previous four years； heaped new abuse upon him。 They said that he had betrayed the Party。 They said that he had shown himself an ingrate towards Taft； whose achievements in the Presidency awoke his envy。 And more recently； many persons who have loathed the Administration of President Wilson； blame Roosevelt for having brought down this curse upon the country。
These various opinions and charges seem to me to be mistaken； and in the foregoing chapters； if I have truly divined Theodore Roosevelt's character； every reader should see that his action in entering the field for the Republican nomination in 1912； and then in founding the Progressive Party； was the perfectly natural culmination of his career。 Some one said that he went off at a tangent in 1912。 Some one else has said better that this tangent was a straight line leading back to 1882； when he sat in the New York Assembly。 Remember that the love of Justice was from boyhood his leading principle。 Remember that； after he succeeded in having a law passed relieving the miserably poor cigar…makers from the hideous conditions under which they had to work； a judge declared the law unconstitutional； thereby proving to Roosevelt that the courts； which should be the citadels of justice； might and did； in this case； care more for the financial interests of landowners than for the health； life； and soul of human beings。 That example of injustice was branded on his heart； and he resolved to combat the judicial league with in humanity； wherever he met it。 So Abraham Lincoln； when； at the age of twenty…two he first saw a slave auction in New Orleans； said； in indignant horror； to his companion； John Hanks： 〃If I ever get a chance to hit that thing ＇meaning slavery＇ I'll hit it hard。〃 Exactly thirty years later； Abraham Lincoln； as President； was hitting that thingslaveryso hard that it perished。 Roosevelt's experience as Assemblyman； as Civil Service Commissioner； as Police Commissioner； as Governor； and as President； had confirmed his belief that the decisions of the courts often stood between the People and Justice。
Especially in his war on the Interests was he angered at finding corporate abuses； and even criminal methods； comfortably protected by an upholstery of favoring laws。 With that tact and willingness to compromise on non…essentials in order to gain his essential object； which mark him as a statesman； he used the Republican Party； naturally the party of the plutocrats who controlled the Interests； just as long as he could。 Then； when the Republican Machine
