Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-18
Daily kenncbec 3ournaL
TEDDY ROOSEVELT
Continued from page ~

NAOHIHucu from page Id
rendered him here. today. Especially
lie thanked the Roosevelt Clup for its
choice of name and uniform. He had
no use for timid persons. Public Of
ficials. he said, should be honest, brave
and be endowed with the saving grace
Of common sense.
Gov. Roosevelt continued:
We have come here to begin the work
Of campaign more vitaIsto American
interests than any that has taken place
since the close of the Civil War. We
appeal not only to Republicans, but to
all good citizens who are Americans. in
fact as well as in name, to help us in
re-electing President Mckinley. II
was indeed Of infinite Importance to
elect him. four year ago. Yet the need
Is even greater now. Every reason
then obtained in his favor obtains now,
and many more have been added. Four
years ago, the success Of the Populis-
tic Democracy would have meant fear
full misery. fearful disaster at home; it
would have meant the shame that is
worse even than misery and disaster.
lOudys II NOuiu oil lIllS anu, III
addition. the immeasurable disgrace of
abandoning the proud position we have
taken. of flinching from the great work
We have begun.
President Mckinley has more than
made good all that he promised or
that was promised on his behalf, and
as the smoke clears away We see how
utterly trivial are the matters because
of which his administration has been
criticised. when compared with the i'm
mense substantial gains for American
honor and interest which under that
administration have been brought
about. We appealed for President Nc
Kinley before asserting what he would
do If President from our knowledge of
what he had done in lesser positions.
No We appeal for him, asking that the
promise of second term be judged by
the performance of his first term shall
in his second be carried to an even
more triumphant conclusion.
We ask support for President Nc
kinley because of what he has actual
ly done. of what he now stands for and
typifies and because of the marvellous
work that has been accomplished I'M
der his administration. We ask the
support Of all upright citizens because
against him are arrayed the forces OF
chaotic evil, because of the breeding
menace to our moral and industrial
welfare. which is implied in the pres
ent attitude and purpose of the Popu-
1istic Democracy.
We knew definitely what we believe
and we say it outright. Our opponents
No oil he. - 4
tent. malice and envy, formed and
formless, vague and concrete. car
hardly be said to know what they real
ly do believe. because the principles
they profess, if put forth markedly. are
so revolving. even to their own follow
crs. that they like-at least to try T.
wrap the mantle of hypocrisy around
them.
They rant about trusts. but they
have nothing practice BILE to advance in
the way Of remedy: nor is this to b.
wondered at when ore of the makers
of their platform. the representative
from New York, and the leader of
their organization in New York. are
both themselves among the most
prominent stockholders in the worst
trust to be found today, in the United
States. the ice trust, which had justly
exposed itself to the criticism which
our opponents often unjustly apply t.
every form of industrial effort.
They have invented the imaginary
danger Of imperialism. and about that
they also rave. Yet SO conscious are
they of the hollowness of their attack
so well aware what to follow out
their professions would mean to trail
the American flag in the dust, that they
are obliged to pretend that really after
all they are for expansion.
After infinite labor, they finally did
decide that they still believed in free
silver. This decision was reached in
in their committee by vote Of &c to "a
SO that it appears that they only have
81 per cent. of faith in their Ascent
dollar after all. Even this amount of
faith they were able to reach purely
by the aid of Hawaii. and yet four
years ago they objected as much to our
expansion over Hawaii as they now
object to our expansion over the Phil
fppines! There is an element of grim
comedy in these builders having now
preforce to take the once rejected
stone to make out of it the foundation
OF their new platform.
There is little need to argue against
free silver now. What need we say
against doctrine which would work a
sweeping and destructive revolution in
our financial system. and yet which is
advanced by party after violent
contest In which nearly half Of that
party had opposed it? At Kansas City
took the Democrats two days to de-
termihe upon the free silver plank in
their platform. The rest of the planks
did not need an hours work. And yet
they solennly ask that the two days
plank shall be relegated to a secondary
position. Indeed if their attitude on
this question We're not full of such ter
ribe possibilities of tragedy to the ma
tion. it would amount to a farce.
Now. as to expansion. 1t hardly
seems worth while to waste any time
upon what the Kansas City people call
Imperialism. and Militarism. The dom
1nant note of the Kansas City conven-
tion was insincerity. The convention
which nominated Mr.. Bryan in 1900 was
In character infinitely below that which
nominated him in 1896. In 1896, for all
their wild and dangerous folly, his ad-
vocates had at least the merit of sin
certify in their bitter fanaticism. How