The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-09-21
SPEAKS ON THEISSUrS
ROOSEvElT'S FORMAL LETTER
OF ACCEPTANCE.
President in a Twelve Thousand Word
Document Defends His Administra-
ton of the Affairs of the Nation-De-
clares Protection Necessary.

President Roosevelt's formal letter ac-
ccpting the presidential nomination Of
the Republican party has been given out.
1t is 1920 words long.
President Roosevelt defends the last
seven years of Republican control. He
declares that the Democrats attack Re-
publican policies and acts of the last
seven years by disappearing what has
been done. He then proceeds to review
those acts in detail, and ~scatters through
his 12,000-word letter scores Of interro-
CATION points, asking the Democrats
what they are going to do different, or
what different they would attempt lie
charged with power. As to Panama, he
says he would be derelict in his duty if
he used a false construction OF the con-
stitution as a "shield for weakness and
timidity, or as an excuse for govern
mental impotence"
The letter charges the Democrats with
iDsincerity in and conflict of criticisms
in matters such as the settlement OF the
coal strike and the prosecution of the
merger suit that shows no chance for CO.
herent action or constructive legislation
X they are given power. AS to the money
question he declares the only real way
TO keep the question from becoming un-
settled is TO keep the Republican party
in power.
In defense of the protective tariff pol
icy the President says that some Demo-
Gratis seem anxious to prove that it is
safe to give them partial power, as they
could do no mischief then. In connec-
ton with the tariff he discusses the
trusts, and says the evils connected with
them can be reached only by rational
effort, along the lines taken by Congress
ana the executive during the last three
years. The tariff is made the leading
feature OF the letter.
1t is set forth that the present execu-
tive thinks the present regular army is no
larger than the country requires, and as
to the Philippines he says that to retrace
our steps would be to give proof of am
inhrm and unstable national purpose"
Points from the Letter.
Following are leading paragraphs from
the Presidents letter:
1t Is difficult to find out from the utter
ances OF our opponents what are the real
issues upon which they propose to wage
this campaign. 1t is not unfair TO saw
tnat, having abandoned most OF the prin-
capies upon which they have insisted dur
ing the last eight years, they now seem at
2 loss, both as to what 1t is that they real
~ believe and as to how firmly they shall
assert their belief In anything. In fact, 1t
Is uoubtful III they venture resolutely TO
press a single issue; as soon as they raise
inevitable result 3un"tht fflfeAk t,a-qxo,aIn
convictions, for when thus improyised 1t Is
natural that they should be held In a ten
tatiye manner.
There is not a policy, foreign or domes-
tic, which we are now carrying ont which
1t would not be disastrous to reverse or
abandon.
We base our appeal upon what we have
done and are doing, upon our record OF adj
ministration and legislation during the last
seven years, In which we have had COM
plete control of the government.
If continued in power we shall. continue
our foreign policy and our handling OF the
navy on exactly the same lines in the fu-
ture as In the past.
The fundamental fact Is that In a popu-
lar government such as ours no policy Is
irrevocably settled by law unless the peo-
pie keep In control of the government men
who believe In that policy as u matter Of
deep-rooted conviction.
On some of the vital questions that have
confronted the American people In the last
decade our opponents take the position
that silence is the best possible way to con
yey their views.
To say that action against trusts and
monopolies should be limited to the appli-
cation of the common law Is equivalent to
saying that the national government i ouid
take no action whatever to regulate hem.
Undoubtedly IL would be possible OF the
present ~ to prevent any OF the usts
from remaining prosperous by the SIMPLE
expedient OF making such a sweeping
change In the tariff as to paralyze the In
dustries of the country. The trusts would
cease 10 prosper, but their smaller COM
petitors would be ruined and the wage
workers would staFve, while Ii would not
pay the farmer to haul his produce TO mar
ket.
The expenditures OF the nation have been
managed In a spirit Of economy as far re.
moved from waste as from niggardliness,
and In the future every effort will be CON
tinued to secure an economy as strict as ID
consistent with efficiency.
SO far from having Slapped the founda
lions" OF free popular government at home
by the course taken In the Philippines, we
have been spreading Its knowledge and
teaching its practice among the peoples Il
whom IL had never before been more thar
an empty name.
At no time in the history Of this or AM
other country has there been an era SO pro
ductive of material benefit alike to work
ingmen and employer, as during the sever
years that have just passed.