Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-26
REPUBLICAN EDITORS
National Association Urges
Unity Of Action.
PRESIDENT SLEICHER
TELLS OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
CONFRONTING MEMBERS.
Charles Emory Smith Delivers an Adj
dress-Perry Heath's Paper
Read by Secretary.

The first annual meeting Of the National
Republican Editorial Association convened
this morning at the Arlington Hotel for a
session of two days.
More than fifty delegates, representing re-
publican newspapers In all parts OF the
United States, are in attendance. The meet
ing will be devoted to addresses on matters
of special import to the editors. Discus
sion of questions likely to become issues in
the coming presidential campaign Will also
be feature. -.
At the opening session this morning adj
dresses were made by Charles Emory Smith.
former Postmaster General, and John A.
Sleicher, president of the association. An
dress by Perry s. Heath was read In his
absence by the secretary of the association.
Mr.. Heath had expected to be present at
the. gathering, but was called to Salt Lake
City last night Senator Chauncey M. De.
pew was to have delivered the address OF
welcome, but he was prevented from at
tending on account of pressing business at
the Capitol Senator Depew will address
the editors before final adjournment. SEN
| ator Hanna Will also speak at tomorrows
session.
President sleicher's Address.
eve are here as republican editors to adj
vance the interests Of the republican
party" President Sleicher, in his opening
address, said, land we meet in Washington
because 1t is the center of political interest:
Outside Of the southern states, 1t Is the only
place in the country where votes do not
count.
1.-THE republican editor always feels that
he is doing well because no one else can 90
better II he ever prints anything wrong It
Is a mistake, and he knows that II demo-
cratic paper ever prints anything right II Is
also mistake.
Republican editors are the most modest
of al! professional men. They are the ere.
ators of constitutions and the makers OF
men. They shape public policies; they open
the doors of political preferment TO the OF.
fice-seeker, who straightWay 1orgets thae
there ever was door that mad to pc
opened.
"They fight the partys critics and assail-
ants, win the partys battles, make ana sus-
tain the party's platforms ana nave tne
least share in the party's patronage: a
more unselfsh, accompanying, 1orsNMs
and forgetful body of men was never Gre
ated by the grace of God; ana am g.aa %
men rather than the creatures OF clrcuH-
stance. -
''This association was organized at the
republican national convention at Phuadel-
phia, not quite three years ago. Living IN
an age Of combinations. we believe that
there is work for such an association IN the
approaching presidential campaign. ana
and by working as far as possible along
the same lines in certain emergencies. :.
cit the republican party hopes to win 1t
must not be placed on the defensive. 1t mas
won on affirmations every time. The DEM
ocracy has lost on negations, or on aHf
lions that were worse than negatlonS. we
have been congratulating ourselves that we
have settled our gravest questions and
firmly established our republic for all time,
after a century of struggle, turmoil and
contention. But the new century promises
to develop the greatest emergencies in the
nations life. ~ 2" I5'Ffi'if1 'It} 52tiz
What confronts the Association.
"shall the Monroe doctrine be maintained?
Do not recent demonstrations plainly indi-
cate increasing foreign hostility to 1t, and
a purpose in due time to challenge that
doctrine? Let President Roosevelts sug-
gestfve phrase in his Minneapolis speecr
be the answer. Speak SOFTLY said her but
carry big club )
protection of both capital and labor? Shall
the party that fought for free black labor
in the south refuse to stand for the free
dom of white labor in the north? Is there
not Significance in the utterance of former
Secretary Gage at the recent banquet Of
the Chicago Society in New York? We are
at present faced, he said, with situation,
in my opinion, the gravest that has ever
faced society in the United States. The
burning question has been forced upon us
whether the fundamental and inextinguish-
able right of man to freedom is to be rec
ogniZed or to be trampled under the heels
Of a brutal mob
us the Constitution including all Of its
amendments, to stand or to be virtually de-
stroyed In part? Should the ignorant black
vote of the southern plantation and the
ignorant white vote OF the northern slumS
to be made to balance each other at the
polls or should both be suppressed? Should
the representation Of the respective states
in Congress and the electoral college be
based on the equities of the constitutional
requirement., or on the inequitable conclu-,-
sfons of the states? Is this q white mans
country? Is America for Americans?
What shall we do with the negro In the
south and the white illiterate In the north?
Never in our history have we had more
difficult and more dangerous problems to
solve, and the outcome must depend in
large part on the fairness and the con-
servatism OF the press and the working OF
the conscience OF the people In the fell
lowship Of such a gathering we should ex-
change opinions, discuss situations and
perhaps propose remedies for existing evils
and others that are rapidly drawing nigh.
I'm the day of trouble the people must
look to the republican party, for the de-
mocracy has nothing to offer but the voice
of one crying in the wilderness, who stands
amid the tombstones that he has reared,
vainly calling for a resurrection, that he
again may play the part Of the Nebraska
undertaken.
Charles Emory Smith Speaks.
Mr.. Sleicher. with complimentary words,
introduced Charles Emory Smith. editor OF
the Philadelphia Press and former Post
master General. who said that he just hap
pened to be In Washington and had dropped
in to watch the proceedings Of the conven-
ton.
TT Is q fortunate circumstance" Mr..
Smith said, that the republican editors of
the country evidence their great interest
In matters Of public concern by meeting in
this manner to discuss plans and confer
upon questions that will be before the peo-
pie in the future. There are some false
tendencies in journalism OF today, regret
to say. There is too much OF irresponsible
ity evidenced In our latter day develop
ment OF journalism, and 1t Is gratifying to
note that the editors have assembled for
consultation with reference to the great
questions before the people, with the view