The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-08

able to gain admission to the hall, which
was crowded to It's utmost capacity. The
meeting was called to order by Alden
Smith, who introduced Gov. Roosevelt
in brief, patriotic and telling address,
in which he extolled the courage, sac
rlfices and patriotism of the American
soldier. When Gov. Roosevelt advanced
TO the front of the platform the audience
broke into enthusiastic applause. When
it had subsidized he spoke as follows:
WHAT TEDDY SAID.
There are several great issues at stake
in this campaign, but, eff course, the
greatest issue of all is the issue of keep
ing the country on the plane of material
well-being and honor to which it has been
brought during the last four years. | do
not CAIN President MeKiniey's admir-
able administration and the wise Iegisla-
ton passed by cong. ess which he has
sanctioned are solely RESPONSIBLE for our
present Well-being, but do claim, that it
is this administration and this legislation
winch have rendered it possible for the
american people to achieve such we'll
being. L insist, furthermore that the
one and only way te insure widespread
industrial and social ruin would be row
to reverse the policy under which we
nave SO prospered, and to try that poll
cy of financial disgrace and economic dis
aster which we rejected in 1886. Our op-
ponentS now advance the most extraor-
binary arguments that have ever been
any party on behalf of it's presidential
nominee. They have reaffirmed specifical-
~ their entire 1856 PLATFORM and vet they
insist vigorously that all they considered
of most vital Importance in 1896 shall now
be Ielegated to a subordinate place; and
more extraordinary still. they actually
ask that Mr.. Bryan and Democratic
house be elected, because the senate will
remain Republican anyhow, SO that the
president and the house won't be able to
do much harm. Think of it, gentlemen!
This IS the position actually taken by
not a few Of our opponents, and especial
~ by the men who know that Mr..
B,yan's financial policy is utterly ruin
Gus, but who want to give themselves
Mckinley, because. forsooth, President
Mckinley has been too active in Uphold
ms the honor of the flag. Mr.. Bryan
himself is sufficiently strident when he
talks about those hgnents of disordered
bralns, m1lftarism and Imperialism; yet
he coos as mildly as q sucking dove
when he whispers his unchanged devotion
remembering that if the question
of the settlement of our
currency is raised in any campaign, it
must be one Of the paramount ques tons.
The other day, in accepting the Popu-
ltstic nomination. Mr.. Bryan was care
ful to point out how little he and they
differed in essentials on the greenback
question He IS quite right Both are
believers in fat money; what particular
kind Of fiat money is necessarily a minor
detail 1t makes no differences whether
free silver or fiat money is championed
as the first or second issue so long as 1t
Is championed at all, save that to SUBJ
ordinate ii as an issue removes the least
justification for raising the issue at all.
The one element more essential than any
other to the prosperity of a great civil
lied nation is sound and stable cur
rency. The only possible excuse for leo
pardZing the prosperity of the whole
nation by attacking it's system of cur
rency is conviction so intense that the
issue must OF necessity be a burning
one.
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
If our opponents do not regard the sill
Yer issue as paramount issue, then
they have been guilty of gross wrong
to their fellow countrymen in raising it
at all. AS a matter of fact 1t is para
mount, and the attitude of the Populistic
Democracy in trying to keep it out of
sight east of the Mississippi while in
sisting upon their adherence to it. west
OF the Mississippi, is in itself enough to
discredit them in the eyes of all good
citizens, whether Republicans or gen
uine Democrats. Moreover, the attitude
is entirely futile. The leaders among
our opponents are doubtless uneasily
conscious that their free silver policy
would be disastrous to the welfare of our
country; but having played the part of
demagoSueS. they must now reap the
fruits of their action. If they came
into power their mere. possession OF DOW
er would throw this country into con-
vulSionS of disaster. They would be
obliged to make war upon the PRINCIPLES
of sound finance. The victory of Mr.
Bryan WoHld mean such a strengthening
of the foes of honest money as TO pow
erfully impress every wavering mind in
the senate. So that free silver legislation
could probably pass both houses; and no
secretary of che treasury who would ac-
cepts Office under Mr.. Bryan could do
anything but follow a course of action
which would plunge our financial system
into chaos. If the farmer, the business
man and the Wageworker want prosper
ity to continue they must make up their
minds that the incoming of Mr. Bryan
would mean terrible and widespread dis
aStNr.
After exhaustively discussing the Phil
ippine war the speaker said:
My fellow citizens, the truth as re-
CARDS the present situation is simply and
clearly that the American people now
have to decide whether or not they will
play the part of great nation nobly and
well 1t is with the nation as with the
individual. None of US respects the man
whose aim in life is to avoid every diff
ficulty and danger and stay In the shell
ter of his own home, there to bring up
children unable to face the roughness Of
the world. We respect the men who go
out to do a mans work, to front difficult
ties and overcome them, and to train uD
his children to do likewise. So it is with
the nation. To decline to do our duty is
simply to sink as China has sunk If
as Americans, we must bravely, soberly