The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-08
TALK
ABOUT POLITICS
AT THE WALDORF PASTORAL
SPEECHES BY LEADING WRITER'S
ARE DELIVERED.

Even If He Were a Republican,
Would Vote for Parker-HOVv He
views the Political Situation.
Joseph Pulitzer Advises the Dem
ocrats to Put Forth Greater Cam
paiGn EffOrts-Clnrk Howell
Speaks.
New York, Sept. NEARLY 500 Demo-
cratic editors from all parts of the
United States met at a banquet at the
Waldorf Astoria tonight the occasion
being a national conference of Demo-
cratic editors which was called at the
instance of the Democratic National
Committee.
The toast list included several of the
best known Democratic editors in the
country, and all of them responded to
toasts on political subjects.
Sylvanus Johnson, Washington COR
respondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer,
and a former president of the Grid
iron Club, was the POSTMASTER.
A large orchestra furnished music
during the dinner. When Dixie" was
played the diners many of whom We're
from the South, jumped to their feet
and the Rebel yell was given several
times. Enthusiasm was at the high
est pitch when the selection was en-
cored.
Henry WattersOn's Speech.
Col. Johnson, in a brief speech, in
tlpduced Col. Henry Watterson, who
responded to the toast: 1.-The Issue and
the Outlook" He Said
In order to allay curiosity and sup
press conjecture-or words to that eff
fect--let me say in the beginning, that
l believe we can win the presidential
battle. 1 will go even further, and say
that, with anything like an even show
down of powder and ball, it will be our
own fault if we lose it. The two par
ties will go to the finish fairly united
Each will poll very nearly, if not quite,
it's normal strength. The Independent
vote, therefore. will decide the result.
In the five debatable states of New
York New Jersey and Connecticut, in
the East. Indiana and Wisconsin, in
the West. there are, on a rough esti-
mate, a million of these independent
voters. Half a million of them are
Germans. The other half are mug
Wumps and floaters. For the life of
me l cannot see how any self-respect-
ing mugWump can vote for Roosevelt,
the recreant civil service reformer, nor
how any intelligent German, much as
the President resembles the Kaiser,
can be willing to take even a lottery
chance in a war with the mother coun-
try, precipitated upon the drop of a
hat, to glorify the administration.
Parker, the jurist, means, peace with
all nations entangling alliance with
none. Roosevelt. the war lord means
complications abroad and corruptions
at home, designed to prolong a single
party dynasty, and to perpetuate it's
faNorites and agents in power Every
economic question must pause before
an issue so transcendant.
"If l We're "A Republican"
In venturing to discuss it tonight,
though surrounded by members of my
own party and profession, may l not
take a supposititious standpoint and
declare that if 1 were Republican
and over about the headwaters of Bit
ter Creek there are Democrats who
insist that l am not much better-I
would vote for Parker and Davis and
against Roosevelt and Fairbanks. Be
ing only a plain American, who loves
his country and clings to its institu-
tiOns | mean to do this anyhow l
shall do it because it seems to me
the upright thing to do. the enlight-
ened thing to do, the prudent and hon
est thing to do.
In spite of some excuses of feel
ing and mistakes of judgment the
Democratic heart beats true to the
essential principles of the republic as
1t was created by the sublime declar-
alton and ordained by our incOmpar-
able constitution. In spite of their in
telligence and energy the Republican
leaders are losing sight of their fidelity
10 both. Even the errors of the Demo-
Gratis lean to virtues side, whilst the
very virtues of the Republicans are
beginning to be sickled Ger with the
pale cast of corruption and absolutism.
This is not because the Democrats are
Democrats, or the Republicans are
do with it. 1t is because the nature
OF long dominancy tends first to cor
ruption and then, threatened with ex-
posture, to tyranny.
The old Democratic party came into
being, like the Republican party, as
the friend of man; it grew so strong,
by prolonged domination, that it was
able to make its exit from power, the
signal for long, bloody and senseless
war / would take no chance of a
repetition of this evil history. l would
nave a change of parties, though only
Tor the sake of the change. Little as
the two administrations of Grover
Cleveland effected, either in the statu-
tory laws or in the general policy,
they were beneficient interludes to the
unbridled ambition and the grasping
ordinations of the Republicans. They
did bring the Republican leaders to a
realizing sense of their public obliga-
ions. They did serve notice even upon
the saints that they do not possess
the earth. Such will be the affect, If
none other, of the election of Parker
and Davis and the defeat of Roosevelt
and Fairbanks.
"The Issue Before U.s."
The issue before us, therefore, is
whether the people will allow the Re-
publican party TO grow so potent, so
10 intrench itself in power. as that
nothing short of some dire CONFUSION
snail be able to uproot it, or whether
lhey shall, before il be too late, take
roosevelt and Fairbanks by the hand
and bid them stand aside whilst in
the persons of Parker and Davis they
recover into their own hands the lost
balance of power; of power which is
now lodged in the executive mansion at
Washington, fanked on one side by
the Speaker of the House and his Com
mlttee on Rules. supported on the 9TH
or side by a group Of senators who
seek only to know the Presidents will
IN order to obey II.
Inevitably the personality the
Character and performances Of Theo-
dore Roosevelt. occupy the foremost
place in the public mind. They will
constitute the chief horn of the peo-