The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-06-23
Mr.. ROOT OPENS
THE CONVENTION.
RINGING SPEECH TO REPUBLIC
ANS OF NATION.
EULoGIEs OF PARTY AND MEN
Fifty Years of Success Should Inspire
Faith in Future-Promises Fulfill
ed, Work Achieved, and Poll
cies Proven.

cies Proven.
Chicago, June 21.-The speech de-
liyered by Elihu Root, temporary
chairman Of the republican national
convention was an exhaustive and
comprehensive address, and was
heard attentively by the great assem-
bly,. Mr.. Root in part said:
"The responsibility OF government
rests upon the republican party. The
complicated machinery through which
the S0,000,000 people Of the United
States govern themselves, answers to
no single will The composite gov
ernment devised by the trainers OF
the constitution to meet the condi-
tions of national life more than a cen
tury ago, requires the willing cooper
alton of many minds, the combination
Of many independent factors, in every
forward step for the general welfare.
The president at Washington with
his cabinet, the 80 senators represent
ing forty-five sovereign states, the
1856 representatives in congress, ARE
required to reach concurrent action
upon multitude of questions involv-
ing varied and conflicting interests
and requiring investigation, informa-
tion, discussion and reconciliation OF
views. From all our vast territory
with its varieties of climate and in
dustry, from all our great population
active in production and commerce
and social progress and intellectual
and moral life to a degree never be-
fore attained by any people, difficult
problems press upon the national gov
eminent
Within tine past five years more
than sixty-six thousand bills have
been introduced in congress. Some
method of selection must be followed.
There must be some preliminary pro
cess to ascertain the general tenor
lpf public Judgment upon the princi
H1e5 to be applied in government, and
some organization and recognition
Of leadership which shall bring leg
islative majority and the executive
into accord in the practical applica-
ton Of those principles; or effective
government becomes impossible.
The practical governing instinct OF
our people has adapted the machinery
devised in the 18th to the conditions
of the Goth century by the organiza-
tion of national political parties. In
them men join for the promotion OF
a few cardinal principles upon which
they agree. For the sake of those
principles they lay aside their differ
ences upon less important questions.
To represent those principles and TO
carry on the government in accord
ance with them, they present to the
people candidates whose competency
and loyalty they approve. The peo-
pie by their choice of candidates indi-
2 cate the principles and methods which
they wish followed in the conduct OF
their government. They do not mere
ly choose between men; they choose
between parties-between the princi-
pies they profess, the methods they
follow, the trustworthiness of their
professions, the differences to be
drawn from the records OF their past,
the general weight or character OF
the body of men who will be brought
into participation in government by
their ascendency.
When the course of the next admin
istration is but half done the repub-
lican party will have completed the
first half century of its national life.
OF the leven administrations since the
first election of Abraham Lincoln,
nine--covering period Of thirty-six
years-have been under republican
presidents. For, the greater part OF
that time, the majority In each house
OF congress has been republican. His
tory affords no parallel In any age or
country for the growth in national
greatness and power and honor, the
wide diffusion of the comforts of life,
the uplifting of the great mass of the
people above the hard conditions OF
poverty, the common opportunity for
education and individual advance
ment. the universal possession Of
civil and religious liberty, the protec-
tion OF property and security for the
rewards Of industry and enterprise,
the cultivation of national morality.
respect for religion, sympathy with
humanity and love Of liberty and JUS
tice, which have marked the life OF
the American people during this long
period of republican control
With the platform and the candi-
dates OF this convention, we are about
to ask renewed expression of popu-
lar confidence in the republican party.
We shall ask it because the primer
pies to which we declare our ad7ler-
sence are right, and the best interests
Of our country require that they
should be followed in its government.
We shall ask it because the un-
broken record Of the republican party
in the past Is an assurance Of the sin