Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-03
Obligation Upon Political Parties.


year of his age. Before the next admins
tration Is ended he will be approaching his
eighty sixth birthday. 1t is no disparage-
ment of this gentleman. for whom l be-
lieve we all have the highest respect, to
say that he shares the common lot of NOR
tails and that the election of any man Of
such great age would furnish no safeguard
to the American people against the disaster
which would ensue upon the death OF
President with a successor not competent
to perform the duties of the presidential
office
1t is common experience that very aged
men, however bright and active they may
appear for brief periods cannot sustain
long continued severe exertfon. The de-
mands of the presidential office upon the
mental and physical vitality are so great.
80 continuous and exhauSting as to be
wholly beyond the capacity of any man of
eighty-five.
Condition of Inability.
The attempt by such a man to perform
the duties of the office would with practical
certainty be speedily followed by a COM
plete breakdown both of body and of
mind.
In contemplating the remote possibility of
the election of the democratic candidate for
Vice President the people of the country
are bound to contemplate also as a neces-
sary result of such an election in case of
chosen by the people, and we know not
who, would govern in the name of nomi-
nal successor unable himself to perform
the constitutional duties of his Office; or
worse still, that serious doubt whether the
Vice President had not reached a condition
of inability" within the meaning of the
Constitution. would throw the title to the
office of President into dispute.
The serious effect of such an event upon
the government and upon the business in
and the serious effect even of the continual
menace of such event must be apparent
to every thoughtful mind.
In your election. on the other hand. this
chief requirement will be fully met In the
full strength of middle life you are prepared
for the exhausting duties of the presidency.
Your successful and distinguished career
the ability and probity with which you have
already discharged the duties of high office
the universal respect and esteem of the
people of Indiana who have delighted to
honor you. the attachment of hosts of
friends throughout the Union. all assure US
that you have the character and the ability
to govern wisely and strongly should you
become President. Many indeed, among
our people have already turned toward you
a suitable candidate to be elected d.
rectly to that great office.
1t Is the earnest wish of your party and
of many good citizens who have no party
affiliations that you shall accept this nomi-
November to be the next Vice President of
the United States. In expressing to you
this wish we beg to add assurance of our
own personal respect, esteem and loyalty.
Mr.. Fairbanks Address.
Senator Fairbanks was given another
ovation as he arose to accept the nomina-
ton. He said:
MIR. Root and Gentlemen of the Com
mittee: 1 thank you for the very generous
terms in which you have conveyed the Of
fetal notification of my nomination for Vice
President of the United States The unso-
licited and unanimous nomination by the
republican party is a call to duty which 1
am pleased to obey.
Il accept the commission which you bring
with a profound sense of the dignity and
responsibilities of the exalted position for
which | have been nomina ted. My utmost
endeavor will be to discharge in full meas
ure the trust If the action of the conven-
ton shall meet with the approval of the
American people.
1.-The platform adopted by the convention
is an explicit and emphatic declaration of
the principles In entire harmony with those
policies of our party which have brought
great honor and prosperity to our common
country, and which, If continued, will
bring us like blessings in the future
THE monetary and economic policies
which have been forcibly reannounced
lie at the very foundation of our Industrial
life. and are essential to the fullest deyel-
opment of our national strength They
give vitality to our manufactures and com
merce. and If impaired overthrow there
would inevitably ensue a period of indus
trial depression. to the serious injury of
the vast interests of both labor and capital
Preserved Integrity of Republic.
The republican party. since 1t preserved
the integrity of the republic and gave free
dom TO the oppressed. never rendered a
more important service to the country than
when 1t established the gold standard
Under 1t we have increased our currency
supply sufficiently to meet the normal re-
quirements of business. II is gratifying
that the convention made frank and ex-
plicit declara ton of the infexible purpose
of the party to maintain the gold standard.
1t is essential not only that the standard
should be as good as the best in the world.
but that the people should have the assur-
ance that it will be so maintained
The enemies of sound money were pow
erful enough to suppress mention of the
gold standard in the platform lately adopt
ed by the democratic national convention
The leader of democracy in two great ma
ttonal campaigns has declared since the
adjournment of the convention that as soon
as the election Is over he will undertake TO
organize the forces within the democratic
party for the next national contest for the
purpose of advancing the radical policies
for which his element of the party stands.
is for the present in allegiance In view of
these palpable facts 1t Is not the part of
wisdom to abandon our vigilance In safe
guarding the integrity of our money system.
We must have not only a President who is
unalterably committed to the gold stand
ard. but both houses of Congress In entire
accord with him upon the subject.
Supreme Power in Congress.
I'm Congress and not with the President
rests the supreme power to determine the
standard of our money. Though the chier
executive should oppose the Congress. act
ing within Its Independent constitutional
authority. could at any time overthrow or
change the monetary standard
1.-The wisdom of our protective policy
finds complete justification in the indus
trial development of the country This
policy has become a most vital part OF our
Industrial system and must be maintained
unimpaired. When altered conditions make
changes In schedules desirable. their modtr-