Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-08-05
An English Point of View.

The Presidential contest in the United
States is now clearly defined, both as
regards candidates and programmes.
Mr.. Roosevelt, the present Chief Magis-
trate of the Commonwealth, will be the
standard of the Republican Party.
which, roughly speaking, represents the
Conservative side of American politics,
and Judge Parker has just been adopted
at St. Louis to be his opponent by the
Democratic party, which, in its turn,
may be said to be the more ultra Liberal
side of American political life. The
Republicans have been successful for
the past two Presidential elections, Mr..
Mckinley having been twice elected on
the extreme Protectionist and gold
standard platform. The Democratic
party split eight years ago upon the
question of bimetallism, one large Sec
ton of it, headed by Mr.. Bryan, going
strongly for double standard and free
coinage of silver. In this respect the
Democratic party suffered the fate Of
our own Liberal party in 1886, when
Home Rule was suddenly espoused by
Mr.. Gladstone. Judge Parker, however,
has boldly thrown over bimetallism, and
there is now a solid and united Demo-
cratic party behind him.
Here in England Mr.. Roosevelt has
made great impression on the magma
ton of the people and his reelection
would be hailed with reclamation. And
yet the Party to which he belongs are
mainly responsible for the depression in
trade in quite number of our staple
industries. The Democratic party, on
the other hand, have now declared for a
gradual relaxation of the high tariffs
which have so long acted iniuriously
against our exports. 1t is amusing to
find both American parties proclaiming
England the "awful example," The
Republicans declare that Mr.. Chamber
lains success in his Protectionist cam
paign shows that the only Free Trade
country is ready to change its system ;
while the Democrats vow that the Protec
zionist movement here had absolutely
failed and would not be listened to for g
moment if it had not been for the opera
ton of the American tariffs. Apparently
half truths are equally the stock capital
of the political wire-pullers on botf
sides of the Atlantic.
The Presidential contest has neve
influenced or attracted the British public
much. The spectacle of the election o
the head of the State every fourth yea
has indeed been held up as one of TIN
unfortunate parts of the American Con
stitution. But it is really no worse thai
a General Election in England, whicl
certainly dislocates business quite a
much as its analogy across the Atlantic
What is interesting is the class of mai
that becomes Presidential candidate TO
one side or the other. Mr., Roosevelt j
a typical upper-class American, if on
may use the term in country where al
men are esteemed socially equal. He i
well educated, refined, and cultivated
and>at the same time great sportsman
and born soldier. These men come t.
the top but seldom. AS rule grea
Presidential candidates have been law
yers or successful soldiers. Judge Parke
is, in fact, successful lawyer, bait h
rose to the judicial bench after havin,
been farm hand, a school-teacher ant
a lawyers clerk. Such career remind
one of Abraham Lincoln's record, an,
is certainly very stimulating. A countr,
which opens such career to farm
hand must always be subject of dee]
and abiding interest.-The Church
Family Newspaper, London.