Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-07-29

tbeir hacks upon practically all that for
.;rht long years they have been pre-
senting as the essence of their political
gospel.
1--WE have" says President Roosevelt,
"placed the finances Of the nation upon
\ sound gold basis. We have done this
with the aid of many who were for
imerly our opponents, but who would
neither openly support nor silently ac-
iouiesce in the heresy Of unsound fl
nance: and we have done it against the
lcOnvinced and violent opposition of the
imass of our present opponents who still
lrefuse to recant the unSound opinions
which for the moment they think it in
lexpedien to assert. We know what
we mean when we speak of an honest
land stable currency. We mean the
same thing from year to year. We do
not have to avoid a definite and con-
elusive cOmmittal or the most impor-
tant issue which has recently been be-
fore the people. and which may at any
time in the near future be before thofn
lagain."
1t seemed very essential to the cause
of harmony" that the great Demo-
cratic party in convention assembled
at st. Louis should have no views upon
tho money question.
| A united and harmonious Republican
party is not constrained by any politi-
cal eXigencics, to pursue a policy of
silence or evasion upon any of the
/
Germ the American people. 1t has pro-
bounced and definite views upon al
these questions, and is rot afraid to de-
| clare them in clear and positive terms.
No Democratic editor or speaker
dares to definitely place his party to-
day on the money question. In the
besOught to bear clearly in mind that
the Democratic party as an organiZa-
tiOn mas never recanted it's twice as
serted belief in the free and unlimited
| coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to l..
In the East the faithful are given to
understand that their party having ac-
cepted the gold standard established
by the Republican party, the money
question is no longer an issue. All over
tposition on the part of Democratic
leaders to skulk away from the I'M
savofy record of their party on the
great rational issues upon which the
present campaign is to be fought out,
and conceal themselves, SO far as possi-
ble behind local issues. They hope in
this way-by scratching hard-to kick
lup sufficient dust to conceal their
weakness in the national campaign
lfrom the observation of the American
IpeOple.
| President Roosevelt calls pointed at
Itention to the utter inconsistency of
the Democratic party in its ninthhOur
declaration in favor of reciprocity. He
says: 1T is a singular fact that the
only great reciprocity treaty recently
adopted-that with Cuba-was finally
opposed almost alone by the represent
tatives of the very party which now
states that it favors reciprocity
1t is thus that Democratic perform
lance compares with Democratic pro-
lfession.
We have" declares the President,
reduced the interest-bearing debt and
in still larger measure the interest on
1el, nj IA i'm
lposed during the Spanish war have
been removed with a view to relieve
the people and to prevent the accumu-
latiOn of an unnecessary surplus. The
result is that hardly ever beftre have
the expenditures and income of the
government so closely correspondent
In the fiscal year that has just closed
tho excess of income over the ordinary
Expenditures was nine millions of dol
liars. This does not take account of the
fifty millions expended out of the ac-
formulated surplus for the purchase Of
the Isthman Canal. 1t is an ex-
ItraOrdinary proof of the sound financial
condition of the nation that instead of
following the usual course in such
matters and throwing the burden upon
lposterity by an issue of bonds, we were
able to make the payment outright and
yet after 1t to have in the treasury a
surplus of one hundred and sixty-one
millions. Moreover, we We're able to
pay this fifty millions of dollars out Of
hand without causing the slightest dis
turbance to business conditions
There are many other important
policies of government which are
touched upon with mastery ability In
the Presidents speech. and to which
we shall later give special considera-
ton.
We believe that every citizen of this
Republic who reads this clear-headed
and forceful address, will be impressed
by the strength of an administration
which is able to show such a record,
and fully satisfied that the best inter-
ests of the American people will be
served by continuing it in power.
That is a good plan which they have