The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1904-09-14
PRESIDENT RgDSEVHTS
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE

Oyster Bay, n. Y, Sept. 12.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt's letter accepting the
Republican nomination for the presi-
dency has been made public. 1t is In
part as follows:
1t is difficult to find out from the ut
terances Of our opponents what are the
real issues upon which they propose to
wage this campaign. 1t Is not unfair
to say that having abandoned most OF
the principles upon which they have in
sisted during the last eight years they
now seem at n loss both as to what 1t
Is that they really believe ana as to
how firmly they shall assert their be-
lief in anything. In fact, 1t is doubt
full If they venture resoutely to press
a single issue As soon as they raise
one they shrink from it and seek to
explain it away.
The party now in control of the gov
ernment Is troubled by no such diff
culties. We do not have to guess at
our own convictions and then correct
the guess If 1t seems unpopular. The
principles which we profess are those
In which we believe with heart and
soul and strength. Men may differ
from us, but they cannot accuse us or
thickness or inslncerlty. The policies
we have pursued are those which we
earnestly hold as essential to the ma
tional welfare and repute. Our ac-
tions speak even louder than our words
for the faith that is in us. We base
our appeal upon what we have done
and are doing, upon our record of ad-
ministratlon 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
we have carried 1t on in the past.
SO well has the work been done that
our opponents do not venture to reclte
the facts about our policies or acts and
then oppose them. They attack them
only when they have first misrepresent-
ed them, for u truthful recital would
leave no room for adverse comment.
Panama.
Panama offers an instance in point.
Our opponents can criticise what we
did in Panama only on condition of
misstating what was done. The admin
lstration behaved throughout not only
with good faith, but with eXtraordi-
nary patience and large generosity to-
ward those with whom it dealt 1t was
also mindful of American interests 1t
acted in strict compliance with the law
passed by congress. Had not Panama
been promptly recognized and the
transit across the isthmus kept open
I'm accordance with our treaty rights
and obligations there would have en-
sued endless guerrilla warfare and
possibly foreign complications, while
all chance of building the canal would
have been deferred certainly for years,
perhaps for generation or more.
Criticism of the action in this matter
is simply criticism of the only possible
action which could have secured the
building of the canal as well as the
peace and quiet which we were by
treaty bound to preserve along the
line of transit across the iSthmus. The
service rendered this country In secur-
ing the perpetual right to construct
maintain, operate and defend the canal
was so great that our opponents do not
venture to raise the issue in straight
forward fashion, for if so raised there
would be no issue.
The decisive action which brought
about this beneficent result was the
| exercise by the president of the pow
ers vested in him, and In him alone, by
the constitution, the power to recog
nize foreign governments by entering
into diplomatic relations with them
and the power to make treaties which
when ratified by the senate become un
der the constitution part of the supreme
law of the land. Neither in this nor IL
any other matter has there been the
slightest failure TO live up to the con
stitution in letter and in spirit. But
the constitution must be observed pos
itively as well as negatively. The pres
ident's duty is to serve the country il
accordance with the constitution, ant
/ should be derelict in my duty If
used a false construction of the constl
tuition as shield for weakness and Il
mldity or as an excuse for govern
mental impotence
Eo.a;aa DoI;oN