The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-12
CHALLENGES
DEMOCRATS
President Roosevelt Issues His
Letter of Acceptance.
Dares the Opposition to Fight In
the Open.
CHARGES INSINCERITY.
Says Nobody Can Tell Where
His Opponents Stand.
Ready to Meet Them on Their
Own battle-ground.

| Oyster Bay, L. L, Sept. 12.-Prssi-
| dent Roosevelt has sent the following
letter to Speaker Cannon, chairman Of
the notification committee, formally
accepting the Republican nomination
for the presidency:
Hon. j. G. Cannon, Chairman of the
Notification Committee.
| My Dear Sir: accept the nomination
for the Presidency rendered me by the
Republican National Convention, and
cordially approve the platform adopted
| by it. In writing this letter there are
certain points upon which 1 desire to
lay especial stress.
1t is difficult to find out from the ut
| terances of our opponents what are
| the real issues upon which they pro-
| pose to wage this campaign. 1t is not
unfair to say that, having abandoned
| most OF the principles upon which they
nave insisted during the last eight
years, they now seem at a loss, both as
to what it is that they really believe,
and as to how firmly they shall assert
| their belief in anything. In fact, it is
doubtful if they venture resolutely to
press a single issue; as soon as they
| raise one they shrink from it and seek
to explain away. Such an attitude is
the probably inevitable result of the ef-
fort to improvise convictions; for when
thus improvised, it is natural that they
should be held in a tentative manner.
The party now in control of the
Government is troubled by no such
difficulties. We do not have to guess
at our own convictions and then COR
rect the guess if it seems unpopular.
The principles which we profess are
those in which we believe with heart
and soul and strength. Men may differ
from us; but they cannot accuse us OF
stiffness or insincerity. The poucies
we have pursued are those which we.
earnestly hold as essential to the ma
tional welfare and repute. Our ac-
tionS speak even louder than our words
for the faith that is in us. We base
our appeal upon what we have done
and are doing upon our record of ad-
ministration and legislation during the
last seven years, in which we have had
complete control of the Government.
We intend in the future to carry on the
Government in the same way that we
have carried it on in the past.
A party whose members are radically
at variance on most vital issues and IL
united at all, are only united on issues
where their attitude threatens wide
spread disaster to the whole country,
cannot be trusted to govern in any mat
ter party which, with faciIe ease
changes all it's convictions before eIec-
ton cannot be trusted to adhere with
tenacity to any principle after election.
party ht to govern must have con-
victions. In 1896 the Republican party
came into power, and in 1900 it retained
power on certain definite pledges. each
of which was scrupulously fulfilled But
in addition to meeting and solving the
problems which were issues i'm these
campaigns, it also became necessary to
meet other problems which arose after
election; and it is no small part of our
claim to public confidence that these
were solved with the same success that
has attended the solution of those con-
cerning which the battles at the polls
were fought. In other words, our gov
ernmental efficiency proved equal not
only to the tasks that were anticipated,
but to doing each unanticipated task
as it arose.
New Issues.
When the contest of 1SQ6 was dacfdaJ
the question of the war with Spain
was not an issue. When the contest of
1900 was decided, the shape which the
Isthmian Canal question ultimately
took could not have been foreseen. But
the same qualities which enabled those
responsible for making and administers
ing the laws at Washington to deal
successfully with the tariff and the cur
rency, enabled them also to deal with
the Spanish war; and the same quail
ties which enabled them to act wisely
in the Philipp; es, and in Cuba, also
enabled them to do their duty as re-
CARDS the problems connected with the
trusts. and to secure the building of the
1sthmian Canal. We are content to rest
our case before the American people
upon the fact that to adherence to a.
lofty ideal we have added proved gov
ernmental efficiency. Therefore, our
promises may surely be trusted as re-
CARDS any issue that is now before the
people; and we may equally be trusted
to deal with any problem which may
hereafter arise.
So well has the work been done that
our opponents do not venture to recite
the facts about our policies or acts apd
then oppose them. They attack them
only when they have first misrepre-
sented them; for a truthful recital
would leave no room for adverse COM
ment.
Panama offers an instance i'm poiut
Our opponents can criticise what we
did in Panama only on condition of
missta ting what was done The admin
ef re "a o6 not r.r11xr
with good faith but with extraordinary
patience and large generosity toward
those with whom it dealt. 1t was also
mindful of American interests. 1t acted
in strict compliance with the law pass
ed by congress. Had not Panama been
recognized, and the transit
across the Isthmus kept open, in accord
lnce with our treaty rights and obliga-
lions, there would have ensued endless
guerrilla warfare and possibly foreign
while all chance Of
the canal would have been de-
,erred, certainly for years, perhaps for
action in this matter is simply criticism
If the only possible action whic.7 could
nave secured the building of the canal:
rs well as the peace and quiet which
we were by treaty, bound to preserve
along the line of transit across the 18TH
nus. The service rendered this coun-
-ry in securing the perpetual right to
construct, maintain, operate and de-
END the canal was so great that our
opponents do not venture to raise the
ssue in straightforward fashion: for
f so raised there would be no issue.
rhe decisive action which brought
J, hon &c hnr.