Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-10
Gov, Roosevelt Opens Campaign in
Wisconsin at La Crosse.
NOTED REPUBLICANS PRESENT
Speaker Shows UP the DOGGY
Man of Imperialism"
TWO MEETING TODA

LA CROSSE, Wis, September 10.-Elab
crate preparations have been made for the
two meetings held here today on the occa-
sion OF the visit of Gov. Roosevelt. and
which marked the formal opening of the
campaign In Wisconsin. The city was hand
sCmely decorated with flags and bunting. and
with large pictures of the presidential and
vice presidential candidates. Robert NJ. La
Toilette candidate for governor of Wiseon-
sin. Gen. Bryant. chairman of the Wiscon-
sin state central committee. and Senator
Quarles accompanied Gov. Roosevelt on his
trip through the state.
The first meeting was held this afternoon
in the Empire Rink. which was packed to
the doors long before the hour set for Gov.
Roosevelt to appear United States Senator
knute Nelson of Minnesota was among the
distinguished visitors present at the meet
ing which was presided over by Repre-
sentative Esch.
The train bearing the vice presidential
party arrived promptly at IL o'clock The
station platform and streets were crowded
with a waiting multitude and there was
much cheering when Gov. Roosevelt emery
ed from the car and was escorted to the
carriage. The street parade followed, after
which the governor was driven to the hotel
for luncheon and a little rest before the
ceremonies at o'clock.
Governor Roosevelt's Remarks.
Mr.. Roosevelt said: This is no ordinary
campaign, for 1t properly goes beyond and
above party lines, and we appeal TO all
good citizens to stand with us alike for the
sake of the national interest and the ma
tional honor We ask the support not only
of republicans. but of all democrats who
put their loyalty to their country above
their feeling for party which has retained
only its party name and has repudiated all
its best principles. In 1896, and again now,
a peculiar need of praise attaches to those
democrats who have thus placed patriot
ism first Against great pressure they have
dared 10 stand for honesty and govern
mental decency, and for this they are en-
titled 70 the respect OF all honorable men.
There are various vital issues in this
campaign. We are fortunate enough in
being able TO state our position with abso-
lutte clearness on each, and we agree on
them all. Our opponents, the other
hand, dare not so much as mention some
of their issues in certain sections of the
country No issue can possibly be of
greater Importance than the currency, for
a sound and stable currency Is the abso-
Lutte necessary prerequisite to industrial
prosperity. Very many Of Mr.. Bryan's
supporters in the east feel that he Is so
wong on this question that they actually
dare not allude to it at all. and shame
facedly excuse their adherence to him by
trying to pretend that 1t is not an Issue.
Yet not only did the Kansas City plat
form specifically repeat the declaration
In favor of the free coinage of silver at the
ratio Of 10 to /. but last week at Zanes-
VILE. Ohio. Mr.. Bryan himself stated: 1.-The
party stands where 1t did In 1896 on the
money question:" and he has again made
the same statement since. No sound money
man, whatever his party utilization has
been in the past can afford to support Mr..
Bryan now. His success would mean pre-
ciSely the same disasters now that it would
have meant four years ago. If the nation
was right to reject him then. 1t would be
guilty OF the utmost wrong to itself, IL IL
failed to reject him now.
Urged to Forget Free Silver.
Yet We are actually urged both by Mr..
Bryan and his supporters to forget the
issue of free silver. to accept deprecated
currency and to take what comfort he can
out Of Ascent dollar. so to make those
most shadowy of shadowy phantoms, i'm
psrialism and militarism.
As for militarism | am informed that I
have rather overestimated the strength Of
the American standing army today on
war basis. 1t actually consists only Of
$1,000 OF a man to every 1000 people of our
population and to every sixty eight miles
of our territory. According to these fg-
ures during this century which has just
elapsed, since the days of the elder Adams,
relative 70 the population. our army has
actually decreased. 1t Is considerably
smaller than 1t was relatively to the then
population and of thirty years ago. when
the Indian tribes of the plains were at war
with US.
When peace Is restored to the Philippines,
as II Will be once the insurgents are con-
WINGED that our opponents will not come
into power and help them, our army VIII
be still further diminished But gentle
man. take the figures as they are. You are
asked to beware Of militarism on the
strength of clio Of a soldier with g-1O Of a
gun to every 1000 of your people. Now,
how much danger are you In per thousand
from nine-tenths Of a soldier-who incl
dentally is himself a son or the brother Of
somebody In that same thousand? Groan-
Ing under the burden of militarism for
kooth. A burden of nine-tenths of a man
with gun for a thousand people in sixty
four square miles Why, gentlemen, If
there were even the slightest most remote
danger of m!litarism or imperialism or of
any Kind or sort of danger to our liberty,
you could raise over night in this single
state OF Wisconsin a force so numerous as
TO be able to overpower out of hand the
regular army OF the United States You
Older men remember when but a portion
Of this country. containing not a third of
the population we have today put a million
men under arms in the civil war, and vet
they dared to talk of a nation Of freemen
that thirty-tve years ago put million men
INFO the field being terrorized by 10000 men
Held In Check by Congress-.
Remember, too. that even this army can
not under the Constitution be provided for
for more than two years. Our little army
Is in the fullest and most complete sense
the mere servant or the people. It never
has done nor can do anything save the peo-
Pies bidding. To compare our army IN
der such conditions with an army Of the
smallest European power Is absurdity AS
Tor the larger powers, while on a peace basis
they have twelvefold the army we have on
a war basis. So far from our having grown
In mili,arism. as it Is called, the dispropor-
ton between the armies of the great mill
tary powers Of Europe and our own has
Increased instead of diminished during the
last half century. We are just as far away
from militartsm we ever were under
Jefferson or Jackson
W hen our opponents speak of Imperialism
they generally refer TO our retention of the
Philippine Islands. Now when we face the
Philippine Islands we have to face certain
Facts as they are. First and foremost we
nave % face the fact that there Is not now
possible way for honorable retreat from
the Islands while this armed insurrection Ia
IN progress. Our first duty is to put II
down. Until this has been done neither
peace nor liberty can be given to tn.
Islands, 1t Is 10 be observed that Mr.
Bryan begs the whole question when he
says our first duty is TO establish a stable
government. OF course, that means we are
- De me Judges of its stability, and on Mr..
Bryans own theory IL cannot be more i'm,
portant that the government should be sta
Die thdn Il should secure equal liberty and
equal rights 10 all. So you see thai Mr.
BrJan Is definitely committed to the nroh
lem tAat We have to establish stable gov