The Republican journal., 1903-01-29
MEN AND MEASURES.

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political organization. Men who had
been Wings, Democrats, knownoth-
ings or Independents rallied under the
standard of the party that stood for
Liberty and Union, now and forever,
one and inseparable" The war is now
little more than memory, save to the
rapidly lessening few who bore the heat
and burden of the fray, and to those
who have to mourn the loss of near
and dear ones. The voices of the great
war leaders are hushed forever. The
bloody chasm is bridged. The kuklux
have disbanded. The bloody shirt no
longer waves. In the recent war with
Spain the wearers of the blue and of
the gray fought side by side under the
same fag-the flag of our united coun-
trv. The war issues have all been set
tied, so far as it is possible to settle
them by legislation. The race problem
alone confronts us: and that is beyond
the power of Congress to solve. 1t
must be left to time and to those I'M
mediately concerned. If the cOlored
people heed the teachings Of such lead
ers of their race as Booker L. Wash
ington; if they are industrious, honest,
and avail themselves Of the opportuni-
ties offered them for education, they
must eventually command the respect
and confidence of their white neigh
bors, and there will be harmony be-
tween the races.
What the Republican party accom-
plished in its early days has passed
into history; and in so passing it has
ceased in great measure to be factor
in the politics of to-day. Those who
have come on the stage since the war
are not to be moved by appeals to the
past. They may-and it is to be hoped
do-appreciate the efforts of those who
struck the shackles from the slaves,
who at incalculable cost of blood and
treasure preserved the Union, saved
the finances of the country and made
our flag respected the world over. But
it is the leaders and the platforms of
to-day that influence the voter of to-
day, and it is necessary that both should
commend themselves to his support.
After the war the next danger to
threaten was the financial heresies OF
the Greenback, Democratic and Popu-
list parties. From the first the Repub-
lican party stood for honest money,
and it has had the support of many
who had opposed it on other issues.
There is no longer financial issue.
Fiat money and the fifty cent dollar
are not in the political vocabulary OF
the present. Even the silver-tongued
Bryan has ceased to sound the slogan
for lG to 1. Then there is the tariff.
The Republican party is generally re-
garded as standing for protection to
American industries, and the Demo-
cratic party for free trade. But all
Republicans do not favor protection,
and all Democrats are not for free
trade In the South, the great Demo-
cratic stronghold, there is a growing
sentiment-it keeps pace with the
growth of manufactures in that sec
tion-in favor of protection. While
this question of protection VS.. free
trade more nearly divides the two great
parties than any other issue before us
to-day, many voters unfamiliar with the
tariff issues will carefully weigh the
characters of those who ask their suf-
fraee and cast their ballots for the best
men.
AS we view the political situation,
men rather than measures are becom-
ing the controlling influence. Take for
an illustrious example President Roose-
welt He is honored everywhere for
what he is-a clean, able, conscientious
man: prompt and fearless in the per
formance of his public duties; a model
husband and father. Such man COM
mands the respect and confidence of the
people 1t is men of this stamp that
we should nominate for office; not the
professional place hunters, the crea-
lures of rings, the henchmen of bosses.
We are all proud of Congressman Lit
tlefield, and we know that had certain
ring succeeded in their efforts to thwart
his ambition he would not to-day be
occupying position in which he has
won so much credit for himself and for
his State. The people were with him
then, and they are with him to-day.
There are many public questions that
cannot be settled by party platforms.
The Philippine problem is one. The
trust issue is another. To settle these
and other questions Alright we must
send to Congress, and to the legislatures,
able, fair-minded, honest men; and the
party that in the future selects it's best
men for public office will, other things
being equal, or nearly so, be the sue
cessful party.
Those who put on mourning for the
Sultan of Sulu can take it off. He is
MT dood and he ia coming to the st.