Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-08-30

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means to hold fast to good things Dut
that it does not imply stagnation, is
the sense Of the letter on political
issues made public blythe president
through Congressman Watson says
the Ottawa Herald. z Those who have
expected the president to break away
from Republican traditions and de-
clare for a new political gospel bear
ing his personal brand: will be sur
prised, and probably disappointed by
the presidents letter No expression
could be more thoroughly orthordox
on the Republican creed.
Keep the congressional leadership
which has accomplished SO much good
for the country, keep the principles
which have brought prosperity, keep
tie convictions which are working
such splendid reforms, and and keep up
Tie fight for progress and the square
deal through the party organization
these, III substance, are the presi-
dens's Recommendations, and as
text for the coming congressional
campaign they meet! every require
uient.' W.
" Ii any man was ever in position in
this country to enunciate his own
platform, for bis own personal glory
" Roosevelt is that man. Yet in q
season when cheap men are playing
to the grand stand at the game Of re-
form, the president makes his recon-
mehdations for stable party doc
trine. The contrast between Roose-
welt and Bryan, between Roosevelt
and the personAl-interview reformers
who are al work in the west, becomes
one in which the credit is vastly on
the side Of the president.
Touching the question Of the tariff
the president says;
1--WE stand unequivocally for pro-
tective tariff and we feel that the
phenomenal industry prosperity which
we are now enjoying is not lightly to
be jeopardized, for it would be to the
last degree foolish to secure here and
there small benefit at cost Of gem
eral business depression.
"But whenever a given rate or
schedule becomes evidently disadva
tageous to the nation, because Of the
changes which go on from year to
year in our conditions, and whore it
is feasible to change this rate or
schedule without too much disloca-
ton Of the system, it will be donei
while general revision Of the rates
and schedules will be undertaken
whenever 1t shall appear to the sober
business sense Of our people that on
the whole the benefits to be derived
from making such changes will out
weigh the disadvantages; that is,
when the revision will do more good
than harm" H -
The work Of the last congress is
given the full credit to which. in the
public appreciation, 1t is entitled, and
there IL nowhere in the comment an
effort to fish for personal glory.
1T Is" the president says, "a very
easy thing to play the demagogue in
this matter, to confine ones self mere
ly to denouncing tire evils of wealth
and to advocate, often in vague Ian.
guage, measures so sweeping that
while they would entirely fail to cor
rect the evils aimed at, they undOubt-
Odly would succeed in bringing down
the prosperity Of the nation with a
crash. But it is not easy to do as the
present congress and its immediate
predecessors have done; thatis, sternly |
to disregard alike the seli-interest Of
those who have pro6ted by the present
evils and the wild clamor Of those who
care less to do away with them than to
make reputation with the unthink-
ing Of standing in extreme opposition
Lawrence Gazette: Have you
stopped to think what will happen
uuder a direct state primary II there
should happen to be half dozen can