The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-08-19
THE NATIONAL TICKET
Issues are Now Drawn tor the Cam,
paign>>Whose Election Would
Best Serve the Interests Of
the Country?
FOR President-Theodore Roosevelt.
For Vice President-CharIes W..
Fairbanks.
From the Chicago Tribunel.

their platforms and chosen their candi-
dates. These candidates have given
forth in formal speeches their views
upon the great questions of the day.
The broad outlines of the presidential
campaign of 1904 have been marked
out. What now remains is to furnish
color and detail to these outlines.
The leading issue of the campaign
will be this: Which will make the
more successful chief magistrate for
this republic during the coming four
years, Theodore Roosevelt or Alton
Brooks Parker?
Insofar as he has yet revealed him
self, Judge Parker is a rather neutral
character. There is nothing particu-
larly positive in either his personality
or his career. He has been clean lived
cstizen. and an upright jurist. Beyond
this not much is known of him.
Neither by his public acts or by his
public sayings has he provided any
gauge with which to measure his size
as public man. His political exper-
fence ended 90 years ago when he was
chairman of the state central committee
of New York, resigning to accept a
position on the bench.
He has made it clear that he now
believes in the gold standard, although
he voted for free silver in 1896 and 1900.
But the lack of definiteness in his
speech of acceptance still leaves the
country rather in the dark as to his
convictions upon the Philippine ques-
tions, capital and labor, the Monroe
doctrine, the open door, reciprocity,
and the navy. He does, however, in
innate that he would keep his hands
off the trusts and that the tariff would
not be changed during his term.
Since little can be deduced directly
from the deeds or words of the demo-
crat candidate, third and less imper-
feet test must be applied to him. What
is the company he keeps? In his pro-
convention campaign his managers rep
resented him as being in the confidence
of the wealthy vested interests of the
east. One reason urged for his nom
nation was that his friends could readi-
~ gather for him generous campaign
fund.
From such insufficient data it is pos
Sble only to guess that Judge Parker
would be cautious, retiring, extreme
ly conservative chief magistrate, one
who would lean heavily on the advice
of his friends, and who would, if times
were untroubled, make an eminently
respectable, if not particularly strong
president. During his term the govern
ment would run along with minimum
of executive influence and political
power would concentrate itself more
strongly in the hands of the senate.
IT, then, Judge Parker would give
neutral administration, what might
be expected of President Roosevelt?
His administration certainly would
not be neutral. 1t would be positive
one way or the other. Would the bad
outweigh the good9 Or would the good
outweigh the bad9 President Roose-
welt may be judged first of all by his
acts, next by his word, and lastly, if
need be, by his associates.
AS compared with Judge Parker's
lack of familiarity with public life,
President Roosevelt has had much ex-
perience. He has been assemblyman,
police commissioner, civil service COM
missioner, assistant secretary Of the
navy and governor. For the presi-
dental Office especially he is well train
ed, because on the fourth of March
next he will have been president for
over three years. What sort of a presi-
dent has he beens Does he meet the
confidence and esteem and the affection
of the people of this nations
President Roosevelt has not given a
perfect administration. No human
being can be perfect man, much less
ptTltCJ BONcIuOI VI ObuCl iuOh. III
his negro policy the Tribune does not
think the president was wise. But it
knows he was honest. In the service
pension order President Roosevelt
merely followed the precedent of Presi-
dent Cleveland. But in the opinion of
She Tribune that precedent was a bad
one to follow.
1t is the custom in America for the
party out of power to censure the adj
of the party in power.
For what is President Roosevelt CEN
cured by his political opponents2 Has
his integrity been assailed9 Has his
rectitude as man or as an official ever
been questioned3 Never. Whatever
iaults he may have not even his bitter
est enemy has accused him of dis
honest act.
II, then, Roosevelt is not wicked, is
he weakG Is he a puppet, an instru
nent in the hands of ADLER men than