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》From March 4； 1905； he was President 〃in his own right。〃 Behind him stood the American people； and he was justified in regarding himself； at that time； as the most popular President since Washington。 The unprecedented majority of votes he had received at the election proved that； and proved also that the country believed in 〃his policies。〃 So he might go ahead to carry out and to extend the general reforms which he had embarked on against much opposition。 No one could question that he had a mandate from the people； and during his second term he was still more aggressive。
Now； however； came the little rift which widened and widened and at last opened a great chasm between Roosevelt and the people on one side and the Machine dominators of the Republican Party on the other。 For although Roosevelt was the choice of the Republicans and of migratory voters from other parties； although he was； in fact； the idol of millions who supported him； the Republican Machine insisted on ruling。 Before an election； the Machine consents to a candidate who can win； but after he has been elected the。 Machine instinctively acts as his master。 A strong man； like President Cleveland； may hold out against the Bosses of his party； but the penalty he has to pay is to find himself bereft of support and his party shattered。 This might have happened in Roosevelt's case also； if he had not been more tactful than Cleveland was in dealing with his enemies。
He now had to learn the bitter knowledge of the trials which beset a President whose vision outsoars that of the practical rulers of his party。 In the House of Representatives there was a little group led by the Speaker； Joseph G。 Cannon； of Illinois； who controlled that part of Congress with despotic arrogance。 In the Senate there was a similar group of political oligarchs； called the Steering Committee； which decided what questions should be discussed； what bills should be killed； and what others should be passed。 Aldrich； of Rhode Island； headed this。 A multi…millionaire himself； he was the particular advocate of the Big Interests。 Next came Allison； of Iowa； an original Republican； who entered Congress in 1863 and remained there for the rest of his life； a hide…bound party man； personally honest and sufficiently prominent to be 〃talked of〃 for Vice President on several occasions。 He was rather the peacemaker of the Steering Committee； having the art of reconciling antagonists and of smoothing annoying angles。 A little older； was Orville H。 Platt； the Senator from Connecticut who died in 1905； and was esteemed a model of virtue among the Senators of his time。 As an offset to the men of threescore and ten and over was Albert J。 Beveridge； the young Senator from Indiana； vigorous； eloquent； fearless； and radical； whose mind and heart were consecrated to Roosevelt。 Beveridge； at least； had no ties； secret or open； with the Trusts； or the Interests； or Wall Street； on the contrary； he attacked them fiercely； and among other Anti…Trust legislation he drove through the Meat Inspection Bill。 How he managed to get on with the gray wolves of the Committee it would be interesting to hear； but we must rid ourselves of the notion that those gray wolves sought personal profit in money by their steering。 None of them was charged with using his position for the benefit of his purse。 Power was what those politicians desired； Power； which gave them the opportunity to make the political tenets of their party prevail。 Orville Platt； or Allison； regarded Republicanism with al most religious fanaticism； and we need not search far in history to find fanatics who were personally very good and tender…hearted men； but who would put heretics to death with a smile of pious satisfaction。
Roosevelt's task was to persuade the Steering Committee to support him in as many of his Radical measures as he could。 They had done this during his first Administration； partly because they did not see whither he was leading。 Senator Hanna； then a member of the Steering Committee； attempted to steady all Republicans who seemed likely to be seduced by Roosevelt's subversive novelties by telling them to 〃stand pat；〃 and； as we look back now； the Senator from Ohio with his stand…pattism broom reminds us of the portly Mrs。 Partington trying to sweep back the inflowing Atlantic Ocean。 During the second Administration； however； no one could plead ignorance or surprise when Roosevelt urged on new projects。 He made no secret of his policies； and he could not have disguised； if he would； the fact that he was thorough。 By a natural tendency the 〃Stand…Patters〃 drew closer together。 Similarly the various elements which followed Roosevelt tended to combine。 Already some of these were beginning to be called 〃Insurgents；〃 but this name did not frighten them nor did it shame them back into the fold of the orthodox Republicans。 As Roosevelt continued his fight for reclamation； conservation； health； and pure foods； and governmental control of the great monopolies； the opposition to him； on the part of the capitalists affected； grew more intense。 What wonder that these men； realizing at last that their unlimited privileges would be taken away from them； resented their deprivation。 The privileged classes in England have not welcomed the suggestion that their great landed estates shall be cut up； nor can we expect that the American dukes and marquises of oil and steel and copper and transportation should look forward with meek acquiescence to their own extinction。
Nevertheless； there is no politics in politics； and so the gray wolves who ran the Republican Party； knowing that Roosevelt； and not themselves； had the determining popular support of the country； were too wary to block him entirely as the Democrats had done under Cleveland。 They let his bills go through； but with more evident reluctance； only after bitter fighting。 And as they were nearly all church members in good standing； we can imagine that they prayed the Lord to hasten the day when this pestilent marplot in the White House should retire from office。 Trusting Roosevelt so far as to believe that he would stand by his pledge not to be a candidate in 1908； they cast about for a person of their own stripe whom they could make the country accept。
But Roosevelt himself felt too deeply involved in the cause of Reform； which he had been pushing for seven years； to allow his successor to be dictated by the Stand…Patters。 So he sought among his associates in the Cabinet for the member who； judging by their work together； would most loyally carry on his policies； and at length he decided upon William H。 Taft； his Secretary of War。 〃Root would make the better President； but Taft would be the better candidate；〃 Theodore wrote to an intimate； and that opinion was generally held in Washington and elsewhere。 Mr。 Root had so conducted the Department of State； since the death of John Hay； that many good judges regarded him as the ablest of all the Secretaries of that Department； and Roosevelt himself went even farther。 〃Root；〃 he said to me； 〃is the greatest intellectual force in American public life since Lincoln。〃 But in his career as lawyer； which brought him to the head of the American Bar； he had been