Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-09-16
COUNTY TICKET.
Slow Trend Of Events Political.

That President Roosevelt has pur-
sued policy which needs so much ex-
PLANTATION that the "strenuous one"
has been over three months preparing
an answer to the formal inquiry of the
committee of the Chicago Convention,
as to whether or not he would accept
the nomination for President, seems
quite plain when it is read, for it is
more q defense of past acts, than an
intimation of his future policy, if elect
ed Chief Executive. It should be
called letter of defense instead of q
letter OF acceptance, for it is known
that Mr.. Roosevelt had nearly broken
his neck wher Mr.. Hanna was alive,
in scaling the mount of his ambition,
and paving the way to be elected Pres.
ident, and the act of making formal
tender OF the nomination was therefore
the veriest nonsense. The document
has been written and rewritten, sub
mitted, discussed, changed, shortened
and it still fills nearly seven columns
OF the smallest type of the city papers,
or nearly $4,000 words-a dreary mass
OF terms designed 10 obscure at times
IS we'll as explain at others.
It is evident that Mr.. Roosevelt il
apprehensive Of results. In Judge
Parker for an opponent, he is deprived
OF the use OF much ammunition that
has always been available in Republi-
can campaign work. His candidacy
minimizes the potency Of those slo-
gans which appeal more to passion
and prejudice than to reason or a pure.
ly rational course of procedure. The
issues upon which the vote is con.
trolled are lessened in importance
with the RELOCATION of finances to the
rear, even though changing conditions
may possibly require consideration
some time. or some modification of
the gold standard when it too may be.
come an unstable unit for measure.
ment of values fixed by wealth as an
equivalent for all things desirable in
this life.
There isnot so much difference in the
platforms. They agree on professions
for economy, low taxes, peace, right
to labor where one pleases, arbitration
for settlement of differences between
capital and labor, honesty in public
service, open door with the Orient, in.
dependence in the Philippines. (assur.
ance by Judge Parker) denunciation Of
rebates and determinations, irrigation
Panama canal. protection abroad, lib.
eral pensions for veterans, civil service
reform, gold standard assurance OIL
Judge Parker). regulation of trusts
(but by Democrats, not in the manner
that Roosevelt has regulated" them
without running amuck of corpora.
tions.") The Democrats have, a. i'm.
portant issues, differing from the Re-
publicans, anti-imperialism, supremacy
OF civil over military authority. sepa.
ration of church aud state, fulfillmen
OF contracts, fidelity to treaties, rule
by majority, eight hours for labor
anti'colonial policy, tariff for revenue
with incidental protection, reduction
OF army and navy to reasonable
bounds, denunciation OF the race issue
and few other principles OF 90 gen.
eral acceptation as to be considered
like the gold issue. "obsolete," such
as freedom of speech. liberty Of the
press, etc.
The reason We gather comfort from
material close OF the chasm between
the two parties is, that those who voted
against Mr.. Bryan in 1896 and foul
years later, have now conditions and
principles they must consider almos,
ideal, and they will have no difficulty
in making a choice between Parker
and Roosevelt, while the rank and file
supporters of Mr.. Bryan, who rolled
up six and half millions Of votes fol-
the party nominee, are too much i'm.
bued with true Democracy to bolt the
party because they were defeated in
convention. So we will have harmony
at the polls, and with that benign in