The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-28
The Duty Of Democracy.

The Republicans have nominated
Roosevelt for the presidency not because
they wanted him. but because they could
not help It. This is frankly confesseu
by5 the indianapolis News, which is IN
part owned by Senator Fairbanks, the
Republican nominee. for the vicc-pres-l
idency In discussing the lack or enthu-7
siasm at Chicago, the News says that
the West does not know how to classify
Mr.. Roosevelt; that in many respects
~ he is one Of the ablcst mon that ever
went into the White House. But there
has been fear OF him; Americans have
I not been wont to make Presidents OF
brilliatit men; for yice-pre sident, Roose-
welt was a name to conjure with. now,
through mournful events with three
years service behind him, the question
OF a brilliant man for the high office
tame 10 the front. And it concludes:
What he had done could not be denied.
The personal enthusiasm for him could
not be denied. So his denomination was
aSconclusion forcgonc-and yet! There IS
the cause of much of the lack ofaen-
thusiasm now.
''Roosevelt for Vice. President ana
& Roosevelt for President are two different
things. There is a feeling akin to fear,
or at least a feeling that, in a way,
his incumbency meant an experiment.
But there was nothing else to do: the
people had wanted him once; they hope
he will be safe now; they guess he
will.
but this is not the stuff out of which
enthusiasm is made. the basis of which
q Is fun confidence. So what we have seen
at Chicago, while the product OF many
and varied feelings and emotions, is a
legitimate result
The dilemma'hf the..Republicans Is the
opportunity s'of the. Democrats, and. IL
through d!scord and sedition they fdil
& to take advantage of the opportunity tho
failure will be a criminal blunder
In this crisis the Democratic conven-
ton soon to assemble in st. Louis should
take no chances. 1t is the imperative
duty of the Democratic party to save.t
country from another term Of Roose-
veltisnl. 1t is the bounden duty Of the
4 Democratic party in this emergency to
win success In 1901. 1t is Democratic
obligation which the party dare not
shirk, and 1t can succeed If the delegates
to the convention will put aside their
differences of the past and unite heart
and soul in framing and promulgating a
sound Democratic platform and nominal
ting man in whom the whole country
has confidence.
We believe that the party can win
with Parker or any man like him, who is
known to be safe. But there is one
man whose candidacy would make sue
cess a moral certainty. and that man is
Grover Cleveland. We believe that
Parker would come near polling the full
strength of the party We feel sure that
he would carry the solid South. New
York, New Jersey and Delaware. But in
order to make success sure, we should
= Nominate "A man who can poll the inde-
pendent vote; that vote which does not
belong TO either party but which goes
10 this party or that party according to
circumstances, Cleveland could carry all
the States that Parker could carry, and
In addition he could come nearer than
amy other Democrat to carrying the full
independent vote
We recognize that there Is bitter oppo-
sition TO Cleveland in the Democratic
party as candidate for the nomination.
hut as nominee of the party that oppo-
N sition would largely disappear on election
day As a choice between Roosevelt and
Cleveland, II is inconceiyable that any
considerable number NJ Democrats would
hesitate, and, as we have said. the inde-
pendent vote would go almost as body
10 Cleveland. II IS with us conviction
that with cleveland as the nominee, the
Democratic party would be able 10 rid
The country Of Roosevelt and Roose-
veitism,
In saying this we do not mean to
glorify Mr., Cleveland Personally he is
hy no means our choice. But, as writer