Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-09-13

There are principles and policies which,
if put in operation in the store, in the
bank, in the factory, on the farm, will,
in the swing of years, bring satisfactory
results. And there are principles, or
the want of principle, policies and
plans, or the absence of them, that will,
with equal certainty, bring disaster to
the store, to the bank, to the factory,
and to the farm. 1t is likewise true
that there are principles, policies, which,
if put in operation in national affairs al
ways have and always will and always
must bring favorable results. Not al
ways in the same degree any more than
wise policies will bring each year the
same degree of success in the store, and
the same per cent. Of dividend in the
bank; but in the swing of years correct
policies will bring satisfactory results
in both private and public affairs.
''This is so not because they are ad-
vocated by wise men, or because they
are applied by good men, but because
they are correct. There are policies also
which, if put in operation in public
affairs, always have brought, always
will and always must bring in the swing
of years disaster. This is so, not be-
cause they are advocated in ignorance,
nor because they are applied dishonest
ly, but because they are incorrect. In
correct policies can never bring correct
results.
"Have l been talking platitudes? in
exactly the same sense and to the same
degree is it platitudinous to say that
there are correct and incorrect ways of
managing governmental affairs, as it is
platitudinous to tell the young man in
the business college, the young man in
the bank and the boy on the farm that
there are correct and incorrect ways of
managing private affairs.
"Let me emphasize the fact that it is
of vastly more Importance to know
along what lines and in harmony with
what principles the applicants for pub
lie honors will proceed, than it is to
know the physical or mental makeup Of
the men themselves.
"Do you say that wise men will man
age the government wisely? Yes, but
only to the same extent that wise men
will manage your bank wisely. When
you seek a cashier you do not advertise
for wise man, nor simply for good
man. You seek one schooled in correct
banking principles. Vastly more banks
are wrecked because of incompetency
than from dishonesty. This country has
never suffered-it occasionally has lost
slightly, but it has never suffered from
dishonesty. 1t has suffered, however,
and our people have walked the streets
hungry and in rags, because Of incom-
potency.
81 am here to say to you that we need
and must have men schooled in correct
political principles to manage national
affairs, and that we also need an aggre-
cation Of such men; for in the absence
of cooperation along given lines be-
tween the legislative and the admins
trative branches Of the government we
will have incoherency instead of con-
structive craftsmanship. We must place
a political party in power as distinguish
ed from putting politicians in Office.
"Now, if | have made myself clear
that politics is not squabble for Office,
but a contest between principles repre-
sented by opposing parties, then ! am
ready to discuss the correctness and in
correctness of party principles"
The Secretary then entered upon an
exhaustive account of the work of the
Republican party, and especially under
the Mckinley and Roosevelt administra-
tions; he pointed out in his inimitable
way the benefits heretofore, now being
and hereafter to be derived from the
principle of protecting home industries; !
he pointed out the many wise laws
enacted by Republican Congresses, and
closed with an eloquent appeal to the
people of the Fifth District of Virginia
to uphold the Republican party and
President Roosevelt, and send Dr.. John
W. Simmons to the National House Of