Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-09-21
SPEAKS ON THElSSUES
ROOSEvELT'S FORMAL LETTER
OF ACCEPTANCE.
President in Twelve Thousand Word
Document Defends His Administra-
ton of the Affairs of the Sation-D
ciares Protection Necessary.

President Roosevelt's formal letter ac-
ecpting the presidential nomination of
the Republican party has been given out.
1t is 12.200 words long.
President Roosevelt defends the last
seven years Of Republican control. He
declares that the Democrats attack Re
publican policies and acts of the last
seven years by disappearing what has
been done. He then proceeds to review
those acts in detail. and seatters through
his 12,00O-word letter scores of interro-
CATION points, asking the Democrats
what they are going to do different. or
what different they would attempt if
charged with power. As to Panama. he
says he would be derelict in his duty il
he used a false construction of the con-
stitution as a shield for weakness and
tlnldity, or as an excuse for govern
mental impotence
The letter charges the Democrats with
insincerity in and conflict of criticisms
in matters such as the settlement of the
coal strike aud the prosecution of the
merger suit that shows no chance for co
herent action or constructive legislation
X they are given power AS TO the money
question he declares the only real way
to keep the question from becoming un-
settled is to keep the Republican party
in power.
In defense OF the protective tariff pol
icy the President says that some Demo
Gratis seem anxious to prove that it is
safe to give them partial power, as they
could do no mischief then. In connec-
ton with the tariff he discusses the
trusts, ard says the evils connected with
them can be reached only by rational
effort along the liaes taken by Congress
and the executive during the last three
years. The tariff is made the leading
feature OF the setter.
1t is set forth that the present execu-
tive thinks the present regular army is no
larger than the country requi es. and as
to the Philippines he says Tat to retrace
our steps would pe - ,.e proof of an
iniirm and unstable p3tional puspGse''
Points frorI the Letter.
Following are leading paragraphs from
the Presidents letter:
1t is difficult to find out from the utter
ances of our oppc2Cnts what are the real
issues upon which they propose to wage
TINS campaign. IT is zoe unfair to say
that, having abandoned most of the prin-
CipieS upon which they have insisted dur
ing the last eight Years, they now seem at
a loss, both us to what it is that they real
ly believe ana as 10 how firmly they shall
assert their belief in anything. In fact. it
Is doubtful II they venture resoIutely to
press Il single Issue; as soon as they raise
one they shrink from IL and seek to explain
1t away. such an attitude is the proba bly,
inevitable result of the effort 10 iaproVise
cOnyictiOns; for when thus improviSed il Is
natural thar they should be held in a ten
tatiYe manner.
There is not a policy, foreign or domcs-
"a f.,t,
1t would not be disastrous TO reverse or
abandon.
We base our appeal upon what we have
done ana are doing. upon our Re cord Of adj
ministratinn and legislation during the last
seven years, in which we have mad COM
plete control of the government.
If continued in power we shall continue
our fereisn policy aud our handling of the
navy on exactly the same lines in the flu
ture rs n tdc past.
The fundamental fact is that in popu-
lar government such as ours no policy is
irreyocab!y settled by law unless the peo-
pie keep in control of the government men
VINO belleYe IN that policy as u matter Of
deep-rooted conviction
On some of the !.ial questions that have
confronted The American people in the last
decade oar opponents take the position
that siiencc Is the best possible way to con-
yey their views.
To say that action against trusts and
monopolles should be limited TO the appli-
CdlloA OF the common law Is equivalent to
saying that the national government should
take no action whatever To- regulate them.
Undoubtedly it would be possible at the
present time to prevent any of the trusts
from remaining prosperous by the simple
eXpedient Of making such a sweeping
change N the tariff as TO paralyze the in
dustries of the country The trusts would
cease 10 prosper, bus their sGluller com
petitors would be ruined ana the wage
workers would starye. while 1t would not
pay the farmer to haul his produce to mar
ket.
The expenditures of the nation have been
managed in spirit Of economy rs far re-
moved fr' waste as from ujg.ardliness
ana In the rture every effort will be con
tinUed to secure an economy rs strict as Is
consistent With efficiency.
So far from having Slapped the founda-
lions If free popular government at home
by the course aiken in the Philippines we
have been spreading its knowledge and
| teaching it's practice among he peoples to
whom IL had never before been more than
an empty name.
At no time in the history of this or any
other country has there been an era so pro-
duc-ive Of material benefit alike to work.
iuSmea and employer. as during the seven
years that have just passed.