The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-07
RoosEvELT's ST. PAUL SPEECH.

The campaign OF 1895 was one charac-
teri2ed by the most virulent abuse of the
democrats by the republicans. 1t was a
campaign cast upon distinctively low
lines on the part OF the enemies of Mr..
Bryan and his followers. The advocates
OF McKinleyism did not hesitate to use
any weapon. SANDER, mendacity, Doodle
OF coercion to carry their point.
The tone OF the Hanna hosts in the
fight, however, was pitched on its low
key by the venal subsidized press of the
East and was taken up chiefly by the
small campaign orators. The candidates
themselves were not to the same extent
guilty in encoursEing such villainous at
tacks upon their opponents. Messrs.
clean and conservative In their public
utterances.
1t was hoped that the pending campaign
would be free of the disreputable features
OF that OF '96. Great issues OF the most
vital significance have arisen In the past
two or three years demanding calm and
intelligent discussion. Opinions differ as
to some OF these issues even within the
/ two great parties. and the wisest judg-
ment is needed to reach the best couclu-
sions for the safety OF the Republic.
While. therefore. we might have antlci-
Dated the resort again to viliication and
rabid fnvect4ve and pyrotechnlc falsehood
by many OF the republican papers and the
small fry campaigners, we certainly had
a right 10 expect that the candidates for
the greatest Offices within the gift of the
melton would be men of too large a view
OF public affairs and too conservative
judgment and speech to themselves in
dulGe In the methods and utterances, at
such great time. OF the pothouse pol
| itician and the denizen Of the sums or
habitue OF the Ash market.
But even in this reasonable hope we
have already been disappointed
/ The recent St Paul speech of candi-
date Roosevelt is a disgrace to the man,
an insult to the American people and a
reflection upon the wisdom and common
decency of the convention that nom-
mated him for office. Our republican OPP
| ponents often point to the extreme ut
terances of few men like Ex-Governor
Altgeld OF Illinois as the very acme OF
offense against conservatism and good
taste. Altgeld has been in his most vivid
word painting a gentlemen by comparison
with the late exhibition OF himself made
by this coarse braggart. Roosevelt This
is the special paragraph which has justly
I rro cd ind
ocrats but the more reputable and con-
seryatiye people OF the Nation.
Study the Kansas City platform and YOU
policy of infamy. that their triumph would
mean misery so widespread that II Is almost
unthinkable and disgrace so lasting tina,
more than generation would have TO ppss
before IL could be wiped out. They stand Tor
| lnwlessness and disorder, for dishonesty and
dishonor for license and disaster at home
and cowardly shrinking from duty abroad
The common every day partisan who
would utter such idiotic falsohoods would
probably be laughed at as q "tinkllnp
cynibal and sounding brass" To fal
from the lips Of candidate for the vice.
presidency in a public address they should
condemn their author to the contempt
and certainly to the distrust OF the Ma
ton. The open yillainous SANDER which
they contain OF half OF the manhood o.
America can not be excused on any
ground. The author OF them writes him
self down as braying ass but with the
Characteristics OF a jackal. They are the
words of a little man who is either con.
sumed by'malice and dishonesty or crazy
for notoriety to that extent that he can
forget all obligations Of propriety and
prostitute exalted position to the uses OF
the clown or ward heller.
Such character is no more entitled