Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-22
Speech of Secretary Root.


The responsibility of government
rests upon the Republican party. The
complicated machinery through which
the S00O0,00O people of the United
States govern themselves, answers to
no single will. The composite govern
ment devised by the trainers of the
Constitution to meet the conditions of
requires the willing cooperation of
many minds, the combination of many
independent factors, in every forward
step for the general welfare.
The President at Washington with
his Cabinet, the 80 Senators represent
ing A. sovereign States, the $50 Repre-
sentatives in Congrcss,-are required
to reach concurrent action upon a null
titude of questions involving varied
and conflicting interests and requiring
investigation, information, discussion
and reconciliation of views. From all
our vast territory with it's varieties of
climate and industry, from all our
great population active in production
and commerce and social progress and
Intellectual and moral life to q degree
never before attained by any people,
difficult problems press upon the Ma
tional Government.
Within the past five years more than
sixty thousand bills have been in
trOduced in Congress. Some method
of selection must be followed. There
must be some preliminary process to
ascertain the general tenor of public
judgment upon the principles to be APP
piled in government, and some Organi-
cation and recognition of leadership
which shall bring legislative majority
| and the executive into accord in the
practical application Of those princi-
pies; or effective government becomes
| impossible.
The practical governing instinct of
our people has adapted the machinery
devised in the 18th to the conditions of
the 10th Century by the organization of
national political parties. In them
| men join for the promotion Of few
cardinal principles upon which they
agree. For the sake of those princi-
pies they lay aside their differences
upon less important questions. To
represent those principles and to carry
on the government in accordance with
them. they present to the people candi-
dates whose competency and loyalty
they approve. The people by their
choice of candidates Indicate the prin
ciples and methods which they wish
followed in the conduct of their gov
eminent. They do not merely choose
between men; they choose between
partics-betwecn the principles they
profess, the methods they follow, the
truStWOrthincSS of their professions,
the differences to be drawn from the
records of their past, tie general weight
will be brought into participation i'll
government by their asccndency.
When the course of the next admin
istration is but half done the Republi-
can Party will have completed tn"
first half century of its national life.
OF the eleven administrations since the
first election of Abraham Lincoln, nine
covering IL period of thirty-siX years
have been under Republican presi-
dents. For the greater part of that
time, the majority in each House Of
Congress has been Republican. His
tory affords no parallel in any age or
country for the growth in national
greatness and power and honor, the
wide diffusion of the comforts of life,
the uplifting of the great mass of the
people above the hard conditions of
poverty, the common opportunity for
education and individual advancement,
religious liberty, the protection of
property and security. for the rewards
of industry and enterprise, the cultiva-
ton of national morality, respect for
religion, sympathy with humanity and
love of liberty and justice, which have
marked the life of the American people
during this long period of Republican
control.
Withthe platform and the candidates
of this Convention, we are about to ask
a renewed expression of popular con-
fidence in the Republican Party.
We shall ask 1t because the principles
to which We declare our adherence are
right. and the best interests of our
country require that they should be
followed in its government.
We shall ask it because the unbrokcn
record of the Republican Party in the
past is an assurance Of the sincerity of
our declarations and the fidelity with
which we shall give them effect. Be-
cause we have been constant in princi-
pie, loyal to our beliefs and faithful to
our promises. we are entitled to be be-
lieved and trusted now.
We shall ask it because the character
of the Party gives assurance of good
government A great political organi-
cation, competent to govern, is not a
chance collection of individuals
brought together for the moment as the
shifting sands are piled up by wind
and sea. to be swept away, to be formed
and reformed again. 1t is. a growth.
Traditions and sentiments reaching