Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-05-04
Who Will Be PRESIDENT

mated from the Presidential race. by
declination just after his phenomenal
election in the last contest, the Re. /
publicans have been completely At sea
as TO his successor; in fact, the old
Republican hulk has been fairly with
out compass or rudder since the death
of that great commander and intrepid
pilot Mark Hanna. And now 1t seems
altogether impossible for the party to
follow Mr.. Rooseyelt's lead into Demo
cratic fields of thought aud endeavor.
Nor is there anybody strong enough to
take the lead against him. The con-
ditions are about the same As they
were at the Chicago conventions; no.
body really wanted Roosevelt for can
didate, but all voted for him, for fear
Of opposing him, and he was nominal
ed by reclamation.
After election, that feeling extended
- Democrats, as we'll as Republicans.
His bold advocacy of principles that
lad so long been the object OF conten-
tion as to find place in every ma.
tional Democratic platform since the
war, caused at one time the suggestion
to be made, with more or less serious
ness, that the Democrats hold their
next convention early and place Mr.
Roosevelt at head OF their ticket, as
the candidate of the People of the
United States, realizing, Of course, that
it was only by a spontaneity of express
sion as such course would involve
that he might be absolved from bis
declaration, and that would likewise
override the widely held prejudice
against third terms.
That suggestion was probably as
much due to the apparent assurance
OF success that such a course would
carry with it, while Mr.. Roosevelt's
prestige was at its height, IS II was
triumph of principle in an unexpected
way. 1t was a very easy thing to do
by party that has, by life long devo.
ton to party, shown that it was success
OF principle and not supremacy OF men;
triumph of the whole people rather
than the aggrandizement OF the few,
that was sought by its organization.
Dearly as the name had been priced, it
was not to be considered when by its
abandonment could be secured the es.
sence of its meaning, all that was i'm.
piled by the term.
Disappointment of the results that
have followed Mr.. Roosevelt's change
OF policy, has, however, to some degree
modified the opinion that he might
be the fundamentally through which
policies the Democrats have thought
were inimical to good government,
might be abandoned. The promotion
OF Paul Morton, after violations OF
letter and spirit of the law, was rather
too much for confidence in . leader
who had the temerity TO do the decid.
eddy unexpected by breaking with bis
own party, and this was by no means
strengthened by his failure to remove
Commissioner OF Corporations Gar.
field, when, after overwhelming testi.
mony that compelled the Chicago
packers to admit their guilt, notwith.
standing his report had been q com.
plete exoneration of their conduct.
That report, and the precedent set by
the Paul Morton ruling, that il was
the system that was at fault and not
theindividual, doubtless largely swayed
Federal Judge Humphrey in his deci.
sion that perpetual immunity" was
implied in voluntary confessions of
guilt. and to believe that it was again
"the system" that should be punished.
It is such glazing inconsistencies as
these that have impaired the faith of
Democrats in the ability, if not the
inclination, of the President to redress
violations of law that have been con-
fessedly proven. So the Democracy
are again turning to their own party
for men who are capable of redemp-
ton of the country. As every day
more clearly shows the necessity OF
stopping the financial blight that per-
meates political life, it just as surely
calls attention to the one candidate, Of
all others, who combines honesty,
steadfastness, and ability if backed by
the people, to check the pace towards
those sordi6 considerations that have
proven the failure of other governments
Instituted for and by the people; and
that is William J. Bryan. A long as
the people control popular opinion,
and are free to act, they are safe
when they are subordinsted and con.
trolled by greed, the end soon comes. |
The only other candidate named is
Mr.. Hearst, but his controlling motive
has always indicated that his devotion
to principle is far greater than personal
ambition, and if Mr.. Bryan is shown
by his study of economic questions of
the world to be the man best qualified
for instituting such reforms as are ne.
cessary for betterment, if not preserva.
ton, of our government upon the
groundmarks of its founders as exem.
plified in the Declaration OF Independ.
ence, no man will be more ready to
WELD his powerful influence for him
than William Randolph Hearst, who
has, by 90 many acts, shown that he is
controlled solely by-a conscientious
sense Of right and justice.
THE Oregonian of Saturday states
that California may ship its surplus of