The Irish standard., 1904-11-12
TIE NATIONAL RESULT.

The only surprise in the result Of the
national election is the phenomenal
majority given to President Roose-
welt. He has carried every northern
state and most Of them by increased
majorities over those given to McKin.
ley. Judge Parker is worse defeat
ed candidate than Bryan. No one well
Informed in politics has expected that
Judge Parker could succeed. While
he is a man of the very highest char
acter and mental equipment, he has
not appealed to the American people,
They demand an aggressive man, one
who appeals to their sentiment and
prejudice. All this is foreign to Judge
Parker's makeup.
1t must be admitted on the other
hand that President Roosevelt meas
ures up to the American ideal. The
people of this country are convinced
that he is man Of strong convictions
and Of high patriotism. The majority
Of them like his passionate and ex-
travagant ways. In their like for the
man they forgive his faults, they as
cribe his mistakes as to treatment of
men and measures to his temperament,
OF his bad purity associates. No mat
ter what may happen Roosevelt is cX-
cused. Where other men would be
condemned, lie is praised. Whether or
not this condition Of affairs will con-
tinue throughout his second term re-
mains to be seen; at any rate he is
immensely popular with the American
people at the present time. Roose-
velt's popularity however does not
alone account for the republican vic
tory. 1t accounts in large measure
for the great pluralities but tue result
Of the election would have been the
same with most any other man. This
Is so because the American people are
prosperous at the present time and are
unwilling to make any changes. With
good crops and wheat lowering around
the dollar mark it is more than futile
to appeal to the American farmer to
change administrations. The issues
Of the present campaign while they
were most important were not such as
to appeal to the average nan. The
question Of militarism and in.peria;is,n
and constitutional government as op.
posed to a personal government are
matters that appeal to students of
public affairs but not to the average
voter. These questions while OF the
very greatest Importance to the state
and the nation do not appear to be
such to the average man until results
of this policy are borne to the homes
Of the people. The care of a arce
army and large navy means nothing
to the average American citizen. but
he has never suffered from these bur-
dens as have the people Of continental
Europe. The fact that the executive
Of this country has during the last
few years been rapidly taking into his
hands the powers which formerly be-
longed to Congress and to the judiciary
Of this country, means nothing to the
average voter, for the fruition Of these
acts has not been made to appear.
There Is however a need in this
country for two great political parties,
and there always will be at least two
such parties If the country Is to con-
tinue as a republic. Our government
is essentially one of party government.
The democratic party will continue to
exist as 1t has since the beginning of
the government. During its more than
one hundred years of existence it has
met other and greater defeats than the
present and has survived to win great
victories. The fundamental principles
of the democratic party are the prin-
ciples Of majority Of the people Of
this country. OF this fact there is not
the slightest doubt. At times these
principles become obscured by tenn
porary issues and passing men. The
principles, however, are as broad and
enduring as the government and there
always will be party to uphold them.