The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-09-23
ONLY ONE ISSUE Left.
IL IL the Offices, and the Den ocrats
Will Never Abandon 1t.


Will Never Abandon 1t.
There is one issue the Democrats have
not and never will abandon-the Of
fees. With a light heart and an easy
conscience they are willing to swallow
the gold standard, to enter a nolle PROSE-
as to the tariff robbery to con-
struct the Panama Canal and to post
pone independence for the Philippines
until the Filipinos have donned clothes,
but the offices-these they must have or
the last excuse for their party's exist
ence is gone.
Editor Pulitzer is writing page upon
page of open letters in the New York
World, which prints them because
he owns it. to prove that Theodore
Roosevelt and he alone is the issue.
The paramount issue of this campaign
the editor writes, addressing himself d.
rect to the President, is not as you
would have it, free trade or free silver.
but YOU YOURSELF - Theodore
Roosevelt. This issue inforced upon the
country by your unusual temperament
and talent-your own strong, able, am
bilious, resourceful, militant, passionate
personality. your versatile and surpIis-
ing genius"
If this were not meant to be alarm
ing it would f~ttingly describe one side
OF the personality of the Republican
standard bearer worthy OF being print
ed in flaming type and posted at every
cross roads in the country. Add to, it
the unquestioned attributes Of honesty,
courage and patriotism. and you have
the true measure of the head of the
Republican ticket. Mr.. Pulitzer cannot
ind that the possession of any of The
impulsive and willful traits he has at
tributed to the President has led lin
into hasty, arbitrary or ill-consideied
acts. or into any policy inimical to the
public welfare or that has not bsen
fully justified by the event.
No higher tribute could be paid to the
President than the way in which he las
been singled out by Mr.. Pulitzer as the
one engrossing, overshadowing issue Of
the campaign.
Now, why does Mr.. Pulitzer wishlto
get rid Of a President of such known
and approved qualities to make way for
the INFESTED and inexperienced master
OF Rosemount?
The answer is plain-THE OFFICES.
Mr.. Pulitzer is a Democrats trans
planted Missouri Democrat. He knows
that the national Democracy is very
hungry and very thirsty and that it is
weary of feeding upon the husks that
fall to the share Of the opposition party
at Washington.
So long as Mr.. Roosevelt is in the
White House Mr.. Pulitzer knows that
every. Office, outside Of the classified
service, will so to a Republican, provid-
oh fhoro is M no~oo~t 50 ~o,ol lzA4.-
qualified for it that to ignore his claims
would create a national scandal.
What Mr.. Pulitzer and the Democracy
want is that the only tombstone of fit
ness for federal offices shall be the fray
ed maxim Of David B. Hill, Il am a
Democrat" Upon this issue he has no
misgivings as to the firm and irrevoca-
ble' convictions OF the Sphinx Of Esopus.
In Judge Parker's eyes the author of the
maxim ITO the victors belong the spoils''
was the greatest statesman. not except
ing Boss Tweed, New York has ever
produced. And Mr.. Pulitzer believes
that a Democratic mummy Of the Marcy
school in the White House would not
permit any question of fitness to inter-
fere between the faithful and the fed.
eral pay roll.
At present the sturdy, robust repub-
licfnism OF Theodore Roosevelt stands
between the Democracy and the Offices.
How to remove this stumbling block in
the path of the lean and hungry wan
derers Of 1896 and 1907 is the supreme,
the only issue left to the Democracy.
1t a national election could be decid-
ed by the voters wanting a job, ire
spective Of their fitness for it, the De-
mocracy under the leadership Of Mr..
Pulitzer would be invincible.