The Penn's Grove record., 1904-09-16
PRESIDENT ROOSEvELT'S
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE

ielts letter of acceptance, which has
just been released for publication, is a
document of nearly 1900 words. In
its preparation a number of Republi-
can leaders from various sections were
called into conference, and then the en-
tire letter was carefully gone over by
Elihu Root and Senator Lodge, of Mas
sachusetts, who suggested certain
changes, which were made.
The President deals largely with the
record of the Republican party for the
last eight years, and after reviewing
the acts of his w and President Me
Kinley's administrations he Stands
pat"
Aside from this history of the Repub-
lican achievements, the tariff, the Phil
ippines, the Panama Canal, the North
ern Pacific merger, the now famous
pension order, the money question, the
coal strike, the army and the navy are
the chief topics discussed. The Pan
ANA treaty is defended, as is also the
age pension ruling.
The letter is, in part, as follows:
I'VE base our appeal upon what we
have done and are doing, upon our rec
ord of administration and legislation
during the last seven years, in which
we have had complete control of the
government. We intend in the future
to carry on the government in the same
way that he carried it on in the past"
Referring to the new problems
which arose after the campaigns of
1896 and 1900, the President says: 1--WE
are content to rest our case before the
American people upon the fact that to
adherence to a lofty ideal we have
added proved governmental efficiency.
Therefore u promise may surely be
trusted as regards any issue that is
now before the people, and we may
equally be trusted to deal with any
problem which may hereafter arise
Taking the Panama Canal question
as an instance, the President declares
the opponents of the administration
can only criticise what was done on
condition of mis-stating it, and goes on
ITO say: s"The administration behaved
throughout not only with good faith,
but with extraordinary patience and
large generosity, toward those with
whom it dealt. 1t was also mindful of
American interests. 1t acted in strict
compliance with the law passed by
Congress" Neither in this nor i'll
any other matter has there been the
slightest failure to live mp to the Con
Stitution in letter and in spirit. But
the Constitution must be observed pos
itively as we'll as negatively. The
Presidents duty is to serve the coun-
try in accordance with the Constitu.
ton. and 1 should be derelict in my
duty if 1 used q false construction OF
the Constitution as a shield for weak
ness and timidity, or as an excuse fol
governmental impotence"
The President says of the pension or
der, which is ordinarily referred to as
an encroachment of the Executive OIL
the legislative or judicial functions OF
government, that it was made i'll the
performance of a duty imposed by
Congress on the President, and supple
mented the regulations of Presidents
Cleveland and Mckinley.
The point is made that, while the Op.
ponents of the administration make eff.
forts to show that the coal strike set
Element and the railroad merger sui
were acts for which it should be
thrown out of power, yet they dare moi
openly condemn either act, the Presi
dent saying: 1T is perhaps natural thai
an attack go conducted should be made
sometimes on the ground that toe
much, sometimes on the ground thai
too little, has been DONE"
Of the monetary policy of those whC
oppose the continuance of the presen
administration, the President says
ION some of the vital quAekions tina
have confronted the AmeTrcan peopl'
In the last decade opponents tax
the position that silence is the best pos
Sible way to convey their views.
The record of the last seven years
proves that the party nov in powe
can be trusted to take the additional
action necessary to improve an
strengthen our monetary system, an
that our opponents cannot be s.
trusted"
On the question Of the rights of cap
ital and labor the President says: IS
far as the rights of the individual
wage worker and the individual capl
talist are concerned, both as regard
one another, as regards the public, an
as regards organized capital and labor
the position Of the administration la
been so clear that there is no excus
for mi~srepfesenting it, and no grouni
for opposing it unless misrepresented,
Doubt as to the Democratic meanin
in regard to the great question OF tn
tariff impels the President to say: 20
course, ii our opponents arc not sin
cere iii their proposal TO abolish tn
system of protective tariff, there is II
use in arguing the matter at all, say
by pointing out again that, il on on
great issue they Go not mean what the.
say it is hardly safe to trust them o.
any other issue. But il they are sill
cere in this matter, then their adven
to power would mean domestic mis-
fortune and misery as widespread an
far reaching as that which we saw re-
that (the protective) system would b
to insure the prostration of business
the closing of factories. the impoyel
ishment OF the farmer, the ruin of tn
capitalist and the starvation of tn
wage-wor1er. Yet, If protection is ii
deed robbery and if ou- opponent
really be.!eve what they shy, then it j
precisely to the destruction and W
roofing of the tariff, anu, therefore. o
our business and industry, that the,
are pledged" at Is 4 matter of regre
that the protective tariff policy, which
EARL OF DARTMOUTH HERE.