Mr. Watson’s Views.
While various public men have selected a variety of sentences from the Presidential Message as being particularly striking, our readers may have a natural curiosity to know what sentence in the message of the President most impressed our Editor-in-Chief. His section of the Magazine had been closed before the President’s message was made public, but in a private letter to me, Mr. Watson remarks that the finest sentence to be found in Mr. Roosevelt’s recent message to Congress, is this:
“Neither a nation, nor an individual, can surrender conscience to another’s keeping. A just war is far better for the soul of a nation than the most prosperous peace obtained by acquiescence to any wrong or injustice.”
Mr. Watson thinks that the manner in which the President emphasizes the fact that a nation, like an individual, should not consent to live under dishonorable conditions, was very fine.
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In addition to the editorial expressions which have been incidentally quoted in the foregoing summary of the message, The New York World says that “if Roosevelt would advocate tariff reform and if Mr. Bryan would stop advocating government ownership of railroads, they would be substantially in accord.” The New York Tribune says “the message is characterized throughout by that courage with which the President habitually faces public questions.” The New York Press thinks the reading of it must have given the trust-owners “a night of restless slumbers.” The New York American calls it “the most ambitious state paper of his career.” The New York Times thinks the wisest counsel the President gives Congress is to “obviate the evil of prohibiting all combinations of capital, whether good or bad.” The New York Sun devotes its criticisms chiefly to those matters affecting the judiciary.