Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-21
-ROOSEVELT'S SPEECH
New York Governor Seconds the
Nomination of Mr.. Mckinley.
His EFFORT 4 BRILLIANT One
He ExtoIs the Administration and
Scores the Democrats.
HIS REMARK s IN FULL

PHILADELPHIA. June N.-Gov. Roose-
welt. in seconding the nomination Of Will
liam Mckinley for President. said
Mr.. Chairman I rise to second the nomi-
nation of William Mckinley, the President
who has had to meet and solve problems
more numerous and more important than
any other President since the days of
mighty Abraham Lincoln: the President
under whose administra ton this country
has attained a higher pitch of prosperity at
home and honor abroad than ever before
in its history. Four years ago the republic
can party nominated William Mckinley as
its standard-bearer in a political c. nfiict of
graver moment to the nation than any that
had taken place since the close of the civil
war saw us once more a reunited country.
The republican party nominated him: but
before the campaign was many days old he
had become the candidate not only of all
republicans. but of all Americans who were
both far-Sighted enough to see where the
true interests of the country lay and clear
minded enough to be keenly sensitive to
the faint of diShonor.
President Mckinley was triumphantly
elected on certain distinct pledges and
those pledges have been made more than
good. We We're then in a condition of in
dustrial paralysis. The capitalist was
pCHSeu IN rum ana disaster; the wage
worker was on the edge Of actual want; the
success of our opponents would have meant
not only immense aggravation OF the actual
physical distress, but also stain on the ma
tons honor deep that more than one
generation would have to pass before it
would be effectually wiped out. We prom
ised that if President Mckinley were elected
not only should the national nonor be kent
unStained at home and abroad but that the
mill and the workshop should Open the
farmer have a market for his goods the
merchant for his wares, and that the wage
worker should prosper AS never before.
Did Not Promise ImpossibiIfties.
We did not promise the impossible; we
did not say that by good legislation and
good administration there would come
prosperity to all men; but We did say that
each man should have a better chance to
win prosperity than he had ever yet had:
In the long run, the thrift industry en-
ergy and capacity of the individual must
always remain the chief factors in his sue
cess. BY unwiSe dishonest legislation or
administration on the part Of the national
authorities all these qualities in the in
dividual can be nullified. but wise legiSla-
ton and upright administration will give
them free scope And IT this free
scope that we promised should be given
Well. We kept our word The opportunity
has been given. and ii has been seized by
American energy, thrift and business en-
terprse. AS a result, we have prospered
as never before, and we are now prosper
ing to degree that would have seemed
incredible four years ago. when the cloud
of menace to our industrial wel-being
hung black above the land
So it has been in foreign affairs. Four
years ago the nation uneasy because
right at our doors an American island lay
Writhing in awful agony under the curse
of worse than medieval tyranny and mis-
rule We had our Armenia at our very
doors. for the situation in Cuba had grown
i,,t, rahI o,,l hat h lion nt,lIIl
no longer refrain from interference and
retain its own self-respect. President Nc
Kinley turned to this duty as he had
turned to others He sought by every eff
fort possible to provide for SPANS with
drawal from the island which she was i'm
potent longer to do auPht than Cypress.
Then when pacific means had failed,
and there remained the only alternative,
We waeed the most righteous and brilliant
ly successful foreign war that any country
has waged during the lifetime of the pres
ent generation.
Victory Quickly Won.
1t was not a great war. simply because
1t won too quickly; but 1t was mo-
mentous indeed in it's effects 1t left us, as
all great feats must leave those who per-
form them Inheritance both of honor
and of responsibility; and, under the lead of
President Mckinley, tine nation has taken
up the task Of securing orderly liberty and
the reign of justice and law in the Islands
from which drove the tyranny of Spain
with the same serious realization of duty
and sincere purpose to perform 1t that has
marked the national attitude in dealing
with the economic and financial difficulties
that face us at home.
This is what the nation has done during
the three years that have elapsed since We
made Mckinley President: and all this is
what he typities and stands for. We here
nominate him again, and. in November
next, shall elect him again. because it
has been given to him to personify the
cause of honor abroad and prosperity at
home, of wise legislation and straight
forward administration.
We all know the old adage about swap
ping horses while crossing stream. and
the still older adage about letting well
enough alone. To change from President
Mckinley now would not be merely to
swap horses: 1t would be to jump off the
horse thai hal carried us across. and wade
back into the torrent: and to put him for
four years more into the White House
means not merely to let well enough alone.
but to insist tina, when we are thriving as
never before. We shall not be plunged back
into the abyss of shame and panic and dis
aSter.
We have done well that cur opponents
actually use this very fact as an appeal for
turning us out. We have put the tariff on
such wise laws on finance; that they actual
~ appeal to the patriotic honest men who
deserted them at the last election to help
them now, because. forSooth, we have done
so well that nobody need fear their capaci-
ty to undo our work | am not eXaggerat-
ing. This is literally the argument that is
now addressed to the gold democrats as