Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-08-17
s1'ashlu9ton standard
OIN VPla. WA>Il.
rEIDAY MORNING, AUGUST Il, 1906.
BRYAN or Roosevelt.


Presidential candidate, despite his
many assurances that he will not ac-
cept the nomination. must not be re-
garded, thus early in selection Of the
Chief Magistrate, as either idle cOrj0c-
ture, or confirmation by relteration OF
a positive, irrcvocable dcclinatlon.
The announcement WAS made Of no
thirdterm policy, in the hour OF his
election and triumph doubtless to soft
en- any possible luminosity that might
have arisen among those who had so
strenuously opposed him. If he has
changed in feeling or opinion since
then, the time has not yet come to
avow it. To have done SO would have
been poor generalship from partisan
view, as it would have soliditied all
opposing elements, in his own party
aud outside OF it.
That Mr.. Roosevelt can be persuad-
cd was shown 10y his nomination for
the Vice Presidency, six years ago,
against his most earnest and persistent
protest. 1t was claimed, aud with
good reason, that his foes were as earn.
est advocates as his friends, not with
any intent or expectation OF benefiting
him, however, but from that tradi-
tionary belief that to check the bud
ding promise Of bright political ca
reer no method was as effective as to
make it, If circumstances admitted,
. Presidential annex on q successful
ticket. To the surprise OF everybody,
however, the untoward circumstance
OF President McKinley's death afforded
an opportunity which has completely
removed that superstition, if we may
call it one, and the nomination to the
Vice Presidency was q blessing in dis
guise 10 Mr.. Roosevelt, enabling him
to serve the unexpired term and estab.
lish . walk.over for complete victory
in the next Presidential contest.
II seems, therefore, that there is
very little reliance 10 be placed in q
refusal made, probably with equal
posi.iveness and sincerity as the de-
clina,ion of the Vice Presidency in
1900, and . persistent refusal now tc
be placed in the lime.light long before
the time comes for ringing up the cur
tain on the first act of the Presidential
drama. Taking these facts into seriou!
consideration, we think it may b
safely concluded that the Help me
Cassius, or sink" appeal of the part,
will be effective, and that at the
eleventh hour, az it was in the Phila
delphia Convention, Mr.. Roosevelt
will gracefully as possible recede from
his determination not to be a candi
date.
The reason for this insistence OF the
plrty is frankly avowed. by its more
outspoken leaders. 1t is to nominate
. Republican who advocates as nearly
Democratic principles as possible, the
demand of the hour, and in their own
party no better exemplar OF the sal.
lent features Of the Bryan platform oil
1896 that are now matters Of even
greater contention, can be found than
Theodore Roosevelt. The fact is con-
coded that the people have come over
to, and up to, the craftsmanship Of the
party that by fraud and the grossest
outrage of the ballot was defeated il
1896. The infamy of 1876 made it pos
sible to psrpetrate still another a score
of years later, but not by quite as raa
methods.
A Washington dispatch of the III
inst. virtually admits defeat Of th'
party with any other man than Roose
welt, if MIR. Bryan is the Democratic
nominee, - he surely will be, and it j
admitted too to be dependent upor
. split in the Democratic party. b!
Mr.. Hearst's alleged disaffection ant
reputed scheme for organization of ,
labor party that must necessarily draw
largely from the grand old party o
the people. But they are certainl.
counting without their host in tina
expectation. Mr.. Hearst is . man o
too much devotion to principle and i
of too sound probity of character to al
low Republican success through an.
act of selfish ambition. What create
honor could be crave than to be tn
acknowledged arbiter of . great nd
tional campaign and selection of
PRESIDENT It would place him in lin
for almost any place his exalted char
acter qualities him to fill; and he hal
we hope, . long future in which {
continue his noble works OF philan
thropby that have made his nam
known the world over % the cham
pion of merited objects in all phases c
human endeavor.
THE automobile is apt to lose son,
of the tony gloss due to its golde
cost, when it is known that plebeia
in New York by the name of Laroch
has by some means come in possessio
of one and is using it for q woodsav
ing machine. He has attached a eli
cular saw to the rear of the body wit
belt to the motor, and he now got
about picking up such jobs OF woot
saving - are lying around loose. H
should be enjoined.
THE Chicago Federal Jury. on IL
9Th inst, returned nineteen true bill
against the Standard Oil Co., OF r.
6atea in varions ;pd;rork forp,o