Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-13
sENAroR BETERLpaEs KErNorE.

cENAluh lbk NEhlDTE = hE1 NOIhs
The keynote given by Senator Bev-
erldge 70 the Indiana republican con-
vention. that to maintain ascendancy
the party must be the organ Of the
nationally progressive American spirit
should strike the attention OF every hon
est and loyal republican, now that the
lines Of organization are being drawn
for the important elections midway in
the presidential term. The party came
into being and grew into strength as
an instrument Of the spirit Of liberty
meeting aggressively but sanely the
moral issues which excited that spirit
and it has been given responsibility for
the government most of the last half
century because as exigencies have
arisen during that time it has offered
and executed positive policies at once
progressive and practical.
Least Of all parties could the repub-
lican party succeed as a reactionary
agency. 1t has been historically a pro
test against both reaction and stagna-
ton. and TO be transformed either sud
denly or by slow graduation into the
retrogressive type Of the old democratic
party which it supplanted would he to
invite even Speedier fate than overlook
the latter. How essential is the coun-
try's need of progressive party Of
the character the republican party is
signally demonstrated by the historic
fact that the people did not fail for a
full generation emphatically to reject
as an alternative the reactionary posi-
ton Of the democratic party on the one
side and to refuse the rash proposals
of various radical parties that sue
cessively arose on the other side. Nor
was the sound American judgment
shaken decade ago when the demo
cratic party somersaulted from its old
retrogressive attitude to that Of extreme
and incOngruous radicalism.
But the removal of the reactionary
check of the old democracy the last
decade necessarily involves a severe test
Of republican character the full force
of which is now being felt. For just
now immense changes are being realized
people, requiring corresponding adjust
ment of law and government. All the
relations of corporations to government
are involved. On the one hand we have
great moral awakening, passionately
demanding honesty in trust administra
| lions whether of a corporation or of al
official character, and Righteousness In
wealth On the other hand, growing
out of this as out Of consideration fol
public safety, there is insistence fol
unquestioned and irresistible public con
troll of corporations. These are the vita
questions of today and the future which
1t Is the special opportunity and duty
Of the republican party to meet, as &
met the issues of slavery, of nationa
unity and of monetary stability wher
those issues critically confronted tn,
country.
The significance of Theodore ROose
velt's position as president is, broadly
that he faces squarely and courageously
to the front in leadership that would
make his party progressive and ,prac
teal on all these questions This II
why the American people. beyond party
lines, have made such notable respons,
TO the presidents. initiative And thl.
is why the paramount duty of repub
licans this year everywhere, in choOs
ing senators and representatives in con
gress, is TO bring their party verify VI
to date and align it with the president,
leadership.