Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-18
ROOSEVELT MAY ACCEPT
Some Excellent Reasons Why William
Jennings Bryan Should Be
Elected

FRUITVALE Cal, June 17.-(Editor
Herald): II being conceded that Will
liam j. Bryan will be the Democratic
candidate for president in 190S-death
not having removed him-the pol
iticians of the Republican party are
now virtually admitting that the only
hope of their party retaining ascen-
dency is based on the possibility, nay
the probability, of their making Roose-
welt their candidate.
For whatever comfort they may draw
from it, one is safe in assuring the
Republicans that the probability of
their being successful in making
Roosevelt their candidate" is in inverse
ratio to that of their retaining party
ascendency under his leadership.
While 1t is true Mr.. Roosevelt did,
of his own volition, declare to the
world on the morning succeeding his
last election that he would not again
be a candidate and under no circum-
stances would he accept another NOM
ination for the presidency, we recall
tie fact that with equal emphasis he
declared in 1900, prior to and during
the national convention, he would not
accept nomination for the vice presi-
dency.
And yet history records that not
having successfully awaited of the
heated factional strife at that con-
Hanna and his supporters and Plat
and Quay and their followers to Sc
cure the first place on the ticket, Mr..
Roosevelt did most gracefully, and if
you will, graciouSly, change his mind;
and "for t. e good of the party swal-
lowed his pride, stultified himself and
took second place.
Wherefore one seems fully warrant
ed in concluding that if the good of
ln NJ oil IF
this graceful and gracious action on
Mr.. Roosevelt's part he would not be
Gibraltar-like in his flrmness and fix
edness of determination not to yield
his pride to his party's behest and i'm
perative need
Yes but what would the voters
not politicians-of the rank and file
think were their party reduced to the
necessity of placing Roosevelt in such
a position of disqualification And
If he were so quick to yield to the per-
suasion of the politicians for the sake
of getting another term how could the
people feel assured that, if elected, he
would not yield in his administration
to the Establishments of those agencies
and Influences in government and in
our industrial and commercial spheres
with which the people are contending
for justice, fair play and square
deal"?
Methinks the people who think more
of practical, effective operation of
principles in governmental administra-
ton than of partyism and party as
tendency would reason about this way:
''Since the politicians of the Repub
lican party have been compelled to re-
nominate Roosevelt because, in seem
ing, he stands nearer to Bryan's prin-
ciples than any other prominent Re-
publican-saVe Senator LaFollette and
Governor Cummins, and neither of
these latter would they nominate-it
n dst be that these principles are
widely in favor with the masses, as
being for the best interests of the ma
ton when made operative in govern
ment. This being so, then why would
it not be better. because safer, to en-
trust the carrying out of these princi
pies to their first and ablest apostle
and exponent, Bryan, as chief eXecu-
tive instead of to Roosevelt, who, If
he honestly did endeavor so to do,
would Re trammeled and hampered by
his party ties and obligations in his eff
forts to make operative such principles?
Witness, for example, the impotency
of President Roosevelt in his endeavor
against the objection Of the Republ-
| IN senate to give the producing and
shipping public some measure of actual
relief from the unjust exactions of the
railroad corporations
mo, we will act the part of wisdom,
and turn out of power the party that
| has shown itself wholly subserVient to
the trusts and corporations: and, with
| Bryan at it's head. we will give the
Democratic party one more chance to
vindicate its right to existence, by
proving that it is genuinely, earnestly
democratic in that sense defined by
Jefferson as eXemplifying the princi-
| pie the greatest good to the greatest
number and as reiterated by Lincoln
in his definition government of the
people, for the people and by the
people,"
The elimination of this reasoning
would be the defeat of Theodore Roose-
welt, Republican candidate forced to
stand for the principles of Democracy:
and the triumph of William Jennings
Bryan as the foremost living apostle
| and exponent of those principles.