Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-09-01

!
dates the radical majority of his
| party; if he says he believes free silver
| right he repudiates the conservative
minority which left his party on that
| issue; if he says he believes the gold
standard is right he repudiates him.
self, for he voted for free silver
Here is a tangle of Inconsistencies
which prevents the Opposition's cam
didate from telling the American peo-
pie what he thinks of the right or
wrong Of this great question. So with
every issue of this campaign. For eX-
ample, will the Opposition's candidate
for President say any time before elec-
ton,
THAT the protective tariff is NOR
a1lv wrong and that he will wage war
without compromise against it? Or
THAT either the gold standard or
free silver is right as a matter OF priii-
ciple and that if elected he will upholo
the one he thinks right against all
attacks? Or
THAT the work the government ~
doing in the Philippines is wrong as
n matter of principle and that he VIII
instantly stop that work if elected:
If not. why should he promise now that
he will stop that work after while:
What folly to promise. today, what we
will do years hence. 1t is as bad for
nation to mortgage it's future as it is
for man to mortgage his farm.
"Js il asking too much of a candidate
for President to tell the people what
he believes is the right or wrong OF
the issues before them? Why ignore
the moral element in all of these ques-
tions Why is the opposition silent as
to its convictions? One clear note of
principle is worth thousand discords
of evasion.
"Refusing to meet the issues of prin-
ciple. the Opposition announce that
they will make an issue of Theodore
Roosevelt.
I'VE will save them the trouble-we
ourselves will make Theodore Roose-
welt an issue And on that issue we
sue will the oppnsition candidate an
swer these questions any time before
election day?
"Will he, if elected. reverse any of
Theodore Roosevelt's policies?
"WiIl he recommend Congress to re-
peal the law providing for civil gov
ernment in the Philippines?
"Will he recommend Congress to re-
| peal the law preventing rebates by
railroads?
viii he recommend the repeal OF
tn. law creating the department OF
| commerce and labor?
| viii he recommend the repeal of
the law reorganiZing the army and
navy and creating a general staff?
"Will ne recommend the repeal of
the law for the irrigation of the great
| West?
| Does he disapprove of Cuban feci,
procity and will he seek to terminate
the treaty and urge the repeal of the
statute which secured it?
Does he disapprove of the Panama
canal and will he seek to terminate the
treaty and urge the repeal of the stat
ute which secured it?
IF he believes the administration s
course with Panama is morally wrong
how can he prosecute work under it?
| Yet these are the record measures of
Theodore Rcosevelt's administrations
merely marks the developing nation.
For it is the nations progress which his
policies have registered, the nations
will which he has spoken and per-
formed"
The speaker forcifully presented the
clear, definite constructive policies
| which have always characterized the
| Republican party as contrasted with
the vague, negative and destructive pol
icies that have always characterized
the Democratic party.
| 1t was Senator Beveridge's first ap-
pearance in Augusta, but we trust il
will not be his last. No speaker has
ever made deeper impression upon an
Augusta audience. He is one of the
great men of the country. Our people
will watch his future career-and We
believe that the future has much in
store with him-with sincere regret and
pride.
Ear Aaneork Couofv Taxnavore