Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-09-24
WHAT IT MEANS.
The eisaiacascs Of the vsroos
Victory.

The sisaiacascs sf the vsrooss
While II would be the sheerest folly
for Republican managers to accept the
Vermont victory ss a certain augury OF
Roosevelt's election next November. or.
to relax in their efforts to insure that
result, IL cannot be denied that the ~. :
600 plurality Is q most reassuring and
significant fact. That this IL 20 10 cot
because q succession OF statistical coin
cidences where shrinkags OF the Re-
publican plurality In Vermont In Sep
tember has presaged q national Demo-
cratic victory In November, but because
the influences affecting the individual
units In one State In this election are
national In their nature and are effective
throughout the republic.
II the issue in the November election
were confined TO the tariff question II
would be impossible TO infer from Yer
mont's $1,000 Republican plurality
what would be the drift in New York.
Connecticut or Indiana. because the vo-
ters of these three States study the
tariff question through very different
spectacles from those OF the farmers Of
Vermont. From the day in 1861 when
her late Senator Justin s. Morrill, in
trcduced the war revenue tariff measure.
which bore his name in the House of
Representatives, Vermont has never wav-
cred in her support OF the Republican
policy OF protection. Other States have
wobbled, ~ the politicians have played
upon the creduHty of their industrial
classes. but Vermont has stood as firm
as her own everlasting hills.
But in the present campaign the
IN latraA ku- .kz a. IT,
ditional clamor for free trade into the
background and has arrayed itself
against the American spirit Of aggres-
sive. progressive expansion, of which
Theodore Roosevelt is the living en-
boiiment.
To-day the Republicans stand for ma
tional action, advancement and life: the
Democrats for national inaction. ratro-
gression and death. The issue is between
DOING and DON'T.
Such an issue appeals to voters In
Vermont precisely as it appeals to those
OF Oregon or Arkansas. The restricted
local view and interest Is swallowed up
In the broader prospect, and men vote
as Americans and not as citizens Of this
or that State.
To this issue Oregon last June re-
sponded Go aheadw and Vermont mere
ly echoes back across the continent "Go
ahead"
Even Arkansas shows signs of waking
from the lotus-eating dream of Demo
cracy that a nation can advance with
out exertion and force by marking time
in front Of the marble efifgies Of Jeffer-
son and Jackson, who IL they were alive
would be marching in the ranks Of action
ard progress
This, then, il the significance Of the
Vermont election. that on the issue con-
tsined in the word "Forwardv' persona
fed. II our opponents will have II %.
in Theodore Roosevelt. represented In
every line of financial, industrial and
diplomatic achievement. demanding In
creased expenditures for the army, the
navy. the postal service and every de-
partment Of government care Of the
peoples interests-vermont represents
the onward trend Of American thcuoot.
This, and not the mere fact that Yer
mont went Republican by $4,000 votes,
gives an assurance OF q great Republi-
Gao victory next November.