The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1905-04-26
Il There Nothing at Issue.


in several of his Far Western ed
dresses the not unfAmiliar declara-
ton that the most important ques-
tions now awaiting solution in the
United States have nothing TO do
with party, and that the people
should range themselves on the
side of patriotism without thinking
of party This is very good and
conforms to the common talk of
moderate Americans, but it will be
a difficult undertaking to abolish
party lines in this country, in view
of the recent pronouncement at
the polls that SO many millions of
Americans are strong party men
and determined in their political
action by loyalty and fidelity to
party organizations under the name
of Republicans. Democrats, Popu-
lists or Socialists These mark
well-defined party lines. And
there are certain questions that
cannot be solved except through
party Organization. The tariff is
certainly one of them, and the
Democratic PARTY is as certain to
remain one in favor of tariff ref, rm
and lower and reduced duties as
the Republican party is fixed in
its ways as the party of protection
Mr.. Roosevelt could not make the
Republican party party of tariff
reform any more than he could
make the Democratic party one of
protection and the wrongs that
follows that line of National policy.
The Philadelphia Record"
makes the plea that something may
be gained by the no. party idea
should the chief points of party
difference be made to relate to city
government 1t sees faint hope
for Philadelphia, with it's awful
load of misgo eminent and crime,
in that plan But the Philadel-
phia machines has been created
within the Republican party, and
owes it's vitality and power to that
party, and 80 conditions are likely
to remain until the expected and
predicted revolution takes place in
the main purposes of party action.
The President is not likely to turn
his attention from what he sees
imperative in National affairs
and the tariff affords the strongest
illustration-to such reforms in
municipal government as will
revolutionizs and change the char
aoter of city administration. He
may prefer as the essential issues
of National political debate the
railroad rate question or the usurpa-
tions of the trusts and the COM
bines, but on these questions he is
vague and uncertain, and leaves
the people in as much doubt as
ever
If President Roosevelt holds to
his Western opinion that there
are no important questions now
awaiting party solution. how does
he estimate the railroad rate ques.
ton, the merging of competing
railroads and the unity and union
of oapitalistic power in it's asser-
ton of supremacy? These great
and momentous issues cannot be
met by tea-table talk or what
passes at the presidential lunch
set-out They must come out in
the open with drastic declarations
of public policy and be considered
by the people, and they are the
questions of greatest interest and
of more absorbing character than
any issue President Roosevelt pre-
sents in the vigorous ways he
fancies and is addicted to. Can it
be said that the President lacks
the courage of his convictions?
And his talk of there being no
principles or issues worthy of party
shows an absence of
courage in defining them The
Senate committee on interstate
at Washington seems to
be investigating an issue and de-
a policy which must CON-
pei Mr.. Roosevelt to abandon his
plan of no. action and take the field
in defense of what he has proclaim
sd as the essen and vital prin-
ciples of party action. supposing |
that any such remain, of which he
seems to have grave doubts When
the copventions meet and delega-
les are being elected, with the
of the politics of the