The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-04
The Speech
Of Roosevelt


President Roosevelt was the most
audacious of statesmen: Candidate
Roosevelt discovers a disposition of the
utmost caution. and 1t Is not so much
better part OF valor as 1t Is the pru-
dence that Is the major part OF fear:
his speech Of acceptance is watery,
tasteiess. vapid, insipid: nerxeies sS
much error. For the most part. 1T is
meaningless and disingenuous. The
platform to which this remarkable
production Is a sort OF response ,aSs
to catch every breeze that blows.
ters like Congressman Hepburn and
tariff reformers like Governor Cum
mns and the speech Is insendeS 70
II Is also for reciprocity. but all the
lawyers in Philadelphia cannot tell
whether II 10 for reciprocity as defined
by John Dalxell or the reciprocity as
negotiated by John Kasson.
Either the President has surrendered
at dicretion TO the stand-patters or he
/ ekes the lions skin with the fox's pelt.
There 10 nothing downright in the
man. should he be elected, can plead
duress in bar of any statement he has
made since his nomination. His Of
ficial robes prevented General Jackson
from nBntln8 duel WIN henry clay.
The robes OF the candidate prevent
Theodore Roosevelt from giving an
opinion as to matters and things.
There is some evidence ia this speech
that the President would make the
gold standard an issue, and the first
part Of II Is an effort In that direction.
He gives some history. in this behalf.
that Is not warranted by the facts. as
when he asserts that the Republican
aakxr AaA b. 81
Now It Is a matter Of universal ac-
ceptance that a Democratic President
rescued the public treasury from the
depth Of silver reputation into which
had plunged It. 1t was done at fright
full cost. II Is true. but much of the
cost was due to the folly and callous
unconcern OF those Republicans in the
authorizing gold bonds In those days
the Republican party was not on nearly
so intimate. familiar. and confidential
terms with the word gold as 1t now
wishes II had been. Indeed, many OF
the Republican leaders refused to walk
on the same side OF the street with the
gold standard, and some of these ex-
cellent patriots are now sitting up all
night as guards of the public credit.
lest a man commended by Grover Cleve-
land should run away with it and do
1t harm.
The gold standard is not an issue.
and IL II were. who shall say that the
public credit Is not as safe in the keep
ing of Alton B. Parker as 1t is In the
keeping Of Theodore Roosevelt? There
is today the gigantic sum OF more than
$500. 900, 900 of full legal tender silver.
TO !. that is part OF our circulation
medium. without provision for its re-
demption in gold. This Is the deliber-
ate action Of the Republican party.
They are either unwilling to take the
risk. or they are opposed to the estab-
lishment OF the gold standard to the
fullest and completes extent. 1t i'll
becomes a party that for seven long
years has had the power to put a gold
these half a Billion and upward Of 10
to silver dollars to prate and to cant
about the public credit.
The fact Is the Republicans never
had a proper conception of and a
proper respect for the gold standard.
It was the financial policy of Grover
Cleveland that made the era of pros
perity possible. Had the laws the
Republican Fifty-f1rst Congress put on
the tarin laws in the world would have
been impotent TO restore good times.
Grover Cleveland and not Nelson Ding
ley cleared the way for prosperity.
Colonel Roosevelts illusions to the
tarift are tame. fiat, stale. and unpro-
fitable. The man ID. i'll at ease He
Is not yet bridlewise. but ne is obedient
to the curb. This e the Miss Nancy.
need arises there should be a readjust-
ment of the tariff schedules is undoubt-
ed. but such changes can with safety
be made only by those whose devotion
to the principles of protective tariff is
beyond question" Well, admit all
that the cant of II. as we'll as the error
of II.
What the people want TO know. and
what the country has q right to expect
from candidate for President. is
whether or not, in his opinion. the time
is now arrived for revision" The
President says nothing. though he pre-
tends 20 say q great deal. Mr.. Dalzell
does not believe the time for read
justment" will ever come. Mr.. Kasson
thinks II has already come What
does the President think? Judging by
this speech of acceptance. you might az
well ask William B. Allison what he
thinks.
The President talks a deal about
reciprocity with Cuba. We all thought
that was settled. Both parties voted
for II in Congress. and what It is doing
in the Presidents speech is a mystery.
But there is the great and importune
question Of reciprocity with Canada