Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-09-21
Compares Present Stabil-
ity with What Demo-
Gratis Offer.
Explains Reasons for All that
the Administration Has
Undertaken.
Republican Control Will Be
Solely Devoted Toward Ma
tionaI Progress.

Choose between party of action
and party of negation. a party of
honor and party of dishonor Il party
of honesty and a party of insincerlty,
party of pr )yed efficiency and a
/ party of historic inetficiency."
Such is the message to the Ameri-
can voter sent broadcast throughout
the land by President Roosevelt in his
| letter accepting the unanimous nom
nation to succeed himself accorded 10
him by the Republican National Con
vention in Chicago last June.
In his letter President Roosevelt ar
raigns the Democratic party as Il
house divided against itself, as an or
| ganization without fixed policies on
any of the great issues to be settled
at the polls next November, as a pO-
| litical Artful Do9ger. whose more than
dubious past augurs Ill for the future
in the event of its victory two months
hence.
Especial stress is laid by We Presi
dent on the subjects of the Philip
pines. tariff. aud finance. He arraigns
the Democrats for shifting three times
in their last convention attitude on
the Philippines, and declares that their
policy of Independence for the na-
tives. if carried out, would be an inter-
national crime. In like mannC. IS
serts that abandonment Of the pro-
tective tariff system would bring ma
tional misery. On the financial issue
he holds up to ridicuIe the policy-9r
rather lack of policy-of the opposi-
ton.
Following are the leading features
of the letter. which in full contains
twelve thousand words:
| accept tn. nomination for the presi-
dency rendered me by the Republican ma
tional convention, and cordially approve
the platform adopted by it. In writing
this letter there are certain points upon
which | desire to lay especial stress.
1t is difficult to find out from the utter
ances 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 insisted
during the last eight years, they now
seem at loss, both as to what it Is
that they really believe and as tc how
firmly they shall assert their belief in
anything. In fact, r. is doubtful if they
venture resolutely to press a single ssue;
as soon as they raise one they shrink
from it. and seek to explain il away.
Such an attitude is the probably newt
able result of the effort to improvise con-
victions for when thus improyised, it is
natural that they should DE held in a
tentative manner.
Actions Louder than Words.
The party now in control of the gov
eminent is troubled by no such Difficult
ties. We do not have to guess at our
own convictions, and then correct the
guess if it seems unpopular The prin-
ciples which we profess are those in
which We believe with heart and soul and
strength Men may differ from us, bat.
they cannot accuse us Of stiffness or
insincerity The policies we have pur-
sued are those which we earnestly hold
as essential to the national welfare and
repute Oar actions 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 administration and legislation during
the last seven years, in which we have
had complete control of the government
We intend in the future 10 carry on the
government IN the same way that we
have carried it on in the past
A party whose members are radically
at variance on most vital issues. and if
united at all, are only united ON issues
where their attitude threatens wide
spread disaster to the Wipe country.
cannot be trusted to goveuT in any mat
ter. 4 parry which, with facile ease,
changes all its convictions before cleo
ton cannot be trusted to adhere with
tenacity to any principle after election.
A party fit to govern must have convic-
tons.
In 1896 the Republican party came
into power, and in 1900 it retained power
on certain definite pledges. each of which
was scrupulously fulfilled. But in addi-
ton to meeting and solving the problems
which We're issues in these campaigns il
also became necessary to meet other
problems which arose after election; and
it is no small part of our claim to pub
lie confidence that these were solved
with the same success that had attended
the solution of those concerning which
the battles at the polls were fought In
other words, our governmental efficiency
proved equal not only to the tasks that
were anticipated but to doing each unan-
ticipated task as it arose.
When the contest of 1896 was decided
the question of the war with Spain was
not an issue When the contest of 1900
was decided the shape which the 18TH
milan canal question ultimately took could
not have been fOreseen. But the same
qualities which enabled those responsible
for making and administering the laws ut
Washington to deal successfully with the
tariff and the currency ena bled them
also to deal with the Spanish Mlr. and
the same qualities which ena bled them
to act wisely in the Philippines and in
Cuba also enabled them to do their dut!
as regards the problems connected with
the trusts and to secure the building of
the isthmian canal
We are content to rest our case before |
the American people upon the fact tina
to adherence TO a lofty ideal we have
added proved governmental efficiency. |
Therefore. our promises 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.
So we'll has the work been done that
our opponents do not venture TO recite
the facts about our policies or acts and
then oppose them. Tley attack them
only when they have frs. misrepresented
them. for a truthful recital would leave