Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-29
PREFER TO STAND PAT
Senator McCumber Believes
People Do Not Wanta Change.
CLING TO PROSPERITY
WILL EXCHANGE YEARS OF FAT
FOR YEARS OF LEAN.
Praises the Course of the President
Place on Republican Ticket.

Senator McCumber of North Dakota to-
day expressed confidence in the outcome of
the next national campaign as one that
would result in victory for the republ-c can
candidates largely because of the object
lessons the country has had in recent years
He pointed to the prosperity of the years
since the election of the late President Nc
Kinley, and to the hard times that pre-
coded 1896. ample reason why the safest
rule for the country is that of the repub-
lican party.
II believe that the country is becoming
strongly impressed said Mr.. MeCumber
when seen by Star reporter today. with
the idea that the republican policy on the
whole will bring about far better results
than the policy of the democratic party.
Years of Lean and Fat.
1.-THE people certainly have had an object
lesson in the four years of depression fol-
lowed by about six years of practically the
very greatest prosperity that this country
has ever known. These two periods were
under political conditions in which each
party was able to adopt its policies and put
them into full effect. I believe that is an
object lesson that the country is not going
to forget right away.
However, we all fully understand that
the unusual prosperity we are having, and,
in fact, all prosperity, is in certain sense
abnormal. | believe the surprise of the
country has been that the reaction in con-
nection with our present prosperity has
not come before this, and the fact that we
have held on to such phenomenally pros
porous conditions for such a great length
of time seems to me to strengthen our claim
that our policies are correct.
Prices Forced Up.
There is a condition which will probably
affect extent IT iS a
cial question so much as it is an Industrial
one. l think there is money enough in the
country to do its business. but the combi-
nation of labor on the one hand and of
capital on the other have brought all manu-
featured products up to price far beyond
their normal values.
There is a large population in the
United States that can be classei neither
as manufacturers nor laborers-they are the
consumers. Their ability TO purchase has
scarcely kept pace with the higher and
ever-increas.ng price of all manufactured
commodities. The result of this is that they
will be less able to purchase the higher
priced goods. There WI. therefore, be less
demand for the manufacture of these prod
ucts, and, following that, there will neces-
sarily be less labor employed.
This latter is one of the conditions tn 1T
the public must face. l believe on the
whole. however. that conditions will right
themselves without pancs and with very
little disturbance.
The Presidents Course.
''These conditions will, of course. have
their influence on the next national cam
pa1gn. l believe the attitude of President
Roosevelt has been so fair on all the great
public, questions that have come before
him. both in his dealings with capitalistic
combinations and with labor combina tons.
IN his attempts to enforce the laws of the
country that his course will challenge the
respect of the great bulk of the voters. and
with the memory of 1892 to 1896 fresh in
chance of changing our administrative pol
Icy"
Senator McCumber spoke of the coming
campaign far as the prObab BILE course of
the democrats is concerned.
No Democratic Issue.
THE democrats will not find so much
difficulty in getting candidate TO repre-
sent the new democracy as they will in
finding an issue for their campaign Tn
doubleday they propose to abandon their
free silver and their anti-expansion ideas
At least they will place them in the back
ground. not so much because they have
ceased to believe In them as because the
party has found, to its sorrow, that the
public does not believe IN them
Il know of no issue that they can fairly
raise. Undoubtedly the only matter thew
Will attempt to urge will be the trust cues
ton. and in that they will not be able to
demonstrate the feasibility of any remedy
which is not being used by the republican
administration.
When asked to the feeling In the north
west in regard to the political situation,
Senator McCumber replied:
I'm our section of the country the nroba
biilties are that the republican party Is
stronger today than ever before The mass
OF the people are in hearty sympathy with
President Roosevelt and believe that the
best interests of the country will be served
by continuing him in Office another term"
For Second Place.
Mr. McCumber did not think any one
would be mentioned for the nomination in
the republican convention next summer ex-
ceDt President Roosevelt Personally he
hoped that Mr.. Roosevelt's running mate
might be Senator Fairbanks of Indiana He
did not know whether Mr. Fairbanks would
accept the nomination for the vice presi-
dency, but he lnew no better man In the
United States to fill that place