The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-13
HOW DEMOCRATS
MAKE THEIR REPLY
TO LETTER OF ROOSEVELT.
SHOW ExTRAVAGANCE OF HIS RE-
PUBLICAN CLAIMS.
Chairman COwherd of the Demo-
cratic Congressional Committee
He shows GIaring Inaccuracies
and Inconsistencies I'm the Presi-
dents Acceptance Letter-Many
Assumptions Not Truths.
BY r. NJ. L4arner.

dents Acceptance Lefter-Many
Assumptions Not Truths.
BY r. M. Larner.
Washington, Sept 12.-Chairman
Cowherd and others at Democratic
Congressional Committee headquar-
ters to-day vigorously attacked Presi-
dent Roosevelt's letter of acceptance.
Mr.. Cowherd expressed the general
Democratic sentiment when he said;
'The Presidents letter is readable. 1t
is vile as everything the President
writes. Mr.. Roosevelt is dramatic,
both as an author and a President.
This is very excellent quality in an
author, but a bad quality in a Presi-
dent.
"The letter denies that the expenses
Of the government have materially in
creased and then it takes up a lot of
space to explain why they have grown
so enormously. 1t is useless to claim
that there is not extravaganza in the
government management to-day. The
expenditures of every department could
be cut without effecting the efficiency
of the administration whatever.
could refer to a number of specific in
stances where the appropriations could
be reduced with no more i'll effect
than discharging employees.
Dozens of Extravagance.
There are dozens of kinds OF ex-
travagances that could be mentioned,
including the two yachts that are
maintained for the use of the President
and his friends. the 100000 that was
expended on the White House with no
accounting whatever, and many other
matters.
THE President says that the Dem
ocrats are shifting and uncertain. If
anyone on earth could be criticised for
being uncertain and shifting. it is
President Roosevelt. He has changed
his views on nearly every public ques-
ton that is before the people. He was
q. free trader and isAnow a high pro-
| tectionist. He starts out to pursue the
corporations and now says that we
must not hurt the good trusts or inter-
fere with prosperity.
"He says to Congress that the frauds
and forgeries and corruption in the
Postoffice Department was such that
they had never before been equalled IN
the history of the country. Then he
says to the people that he has con-
Quoted the government cleanly and
honestly. The Republican Congress,
for the first time in the history Of the
United States, refused a bipartisan
investigation of an executive depart
ment that the President declared to be
corrupt The Republican administra-
ton is right now hiding in the Interior
Department official reports that we
are demanding to see in order to find
about alleged corruption in the gov
ernment service.
Reciprocity with Cuba, for In
stance.
MANY of the Presidents statements
are assumptions which are not truth.
For instance he says that the Demo-
Gratis opposed reciprocity with Cuba.
The fact of the business is the Demo-
Gratis favored reciprocity. They did ask
that the protection to the sugar trust
be taken off and they did oppose put
ting in a clause inregard to Cuban su-
gars that absolutely prohibited our
making any reciprocal treaties with
our country. Mr.. Roosevelt knows that
he had behind him In that legislation
practically every Democratic vote IN
the House. and that he was opposed
by Republicans.
Il do not think anybody knows where
Mr.. Roosevelt stands on the tariff
question after reading this letter. Ev-
erybody knows that the leaders of the
Republican party will not permit any
revision, unless it is a revision upward.
Mr.. Roosevelt endeavored to cloud this
truth.
II think probably the weakest point
he makes is in connection with the
Philippines and their independence. IT
is puerile to say that because we want
to give self-government to the Philip
pines we cannot arrange for the Amer
lean coaling station there.
IT am a little surprised that Mr..
Roosevelt reiterates the Carroll Wright
claim that wages have been raised and
the cost Of living has declined. This
has been so effectually refuted by the
newspapers and the experience of ev-
cry housewife that thought the claim
had been abandoned"