The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-09
The National Victory: What It
Means.

Means.
| President Roosevelt has received the
reward to which faithful public Off
cial is entitled A strong, efficient,
clean and aggressive administration has
! been Endorsed by the people as no adj
ministration or candidate has been in
generation. 1t was strange, indeed,
that the democrats even thought OF
making an aggressive campaign against
him. If there was, any prospect OF
beating Roosevelt, in view of his rec
ord and his apparent popularity, there
/ is mighty little to encourage public
! official to believe that the people will
recognize and reward faithful service.
The president was the candidate Of
the republican party, but he is more
truly the choice of the nation, of the
I people, than any president in fifty
years. AS one of the orators at the
republican national convention said, the
party needed him far more than he
needed the party. Without Roosevelt
to lead, the country might easily have
gone democratic this year.
That such a man can receive such
recognition is largely due to the re-
markable growth Of independent think
ing and voting in recent years. The
time has come when the fate of this
country is decided every four years by
some hundreds of thousands of intelli-
gent men who vote as they think they
I ought to vote in view Of conditions
and circumstances-not as they have
been in the habit of voting. 1t is no.
table that several states that have
given the president record breaking
majorities have elected democratic gov
errors.
The triumph of Roosevelt is victory
for. Organism in the democratic party.
The conservative wing of that party,
/ in full control of the party machinery,
has made more Of mess of it than
Bryan ever did. The indications now
are that Parker has been defeated by
much larger popular majority than
that which overwhelmed Bryan in
either of his campaigns.
The effort to maintain in this coun-
try two conservative parties has proved
| Parker's program did not differ enough
from that Of the republican party to
make it worth while to go to the trou-
BILE OF a political revolution. This cam
paign demonstrates that the democratic
I party must abandon it's claims to con.
servatism. 1t must become a radical
I party The large portion of nominal
democrats who cannot stand for rad
icalism will have to join the republican
party permanently. AS matter OF
fact, they are mostly all republicans
by this time.
Bryan and his followers will now re
gain control Of the democratic organi
cation in most of the states. They will
proceed to build up practically new
party along lines that will not b.
strange to those who have followe,
Bryan's career.
The historic democratic party is dead
The name will survive, but the part,
that has been little more than a will,
band of opportunists ever since the civi
war may now be counted out of ex
istence. The last effort to restore i
has failed. ...-. -.s.s
The nation has nothing to fear in til
organization of radical, democracy
Such an organization is needed as
check on the republican party, which
prospecting in conservatism, tends to be
come conservative to the point of bou1
bonisn. A radical democracy will sto
the drift to socialism. Led by Brya1
who is today more respected and ao
nlired than any other living democrat
such a party will certainly have an i'm
portant mission.
AS to the Immediate future of tn
republican party, it may be said that j
is certain to give the country fou
years more of good government TIL
presidents announcement that he wi
respect the spirit of traditional oppt
sition to a third term and leave til
presidency at the end of the term Ii
win enter upon next March is pregnar
with promise of magnificent admin
tration. Bound no longer to conside
in any degree the interests Of part
whenever they conflict with those of til
! nation, absolutely independent Of a
party bosses and party machine
in the prime of his manhoo
and glorious physical, mental and NOR;
strength, Theodore Roosevelt is ikel
to make the administration of 1905
one Of the two or three most r