Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-07
WINNING POLICIES FOR 1908


At the outer edge of the presidential
campaign of 1908 some singular political
phases are presented. For the first
time In the history of the two great
political parties there is little difference
in the essential policies advocated by
each. That statement requires the
qualification, however, that it applies
only to the Roosevelt wing of the Re-
publican party.
AS is we'll known, the president has
adopted the salient features of policies
long advocated by the Democratic
party. The presidents followers evil
IDENTIFY have the whip hand in the party
and hence the antagonistic policies
urged by the minority are of but little
consequence.
But in addition to the practical in
dorsement of Democratic policies by the
Roosevelt Republicans, it is noticeable
that even the most ambitious free
lances" of the Democratic party can
find nothing new in the policy line
whereby to hoist themselves into ma
tional popularity. There are several
Democratic aspirants for the presiden-
tial nomination, all quiescent now but
none the less hopeful that something
may turn up to bring them into the
presidential race.
One of the most conspicuous and ap-
parently most hopeful aspirants of this
class is Missouri's governor, Joseph w.
Folk. The presidential bee has been
buzzing in Governor Folks bonnet ever
since the Missouri election returns of
1904 showed a Republican plurality of
about $4,000 on the presidential ticket
and a Democratic plurality of 10000 for
the head of the state ticket-Joseph W.
Folk.
Governor Folk, as a political free
lance, occupies a position in the Demo-
cratic party akin to the position of
Senator Foraker in the Republican
party. The bee buzzes in the bonnet of
each, and each sees faint tinges of color,
inspiring hope that they may assume
the graceful curve of the rainbow.
In the course of an interview reported
last week at Memphis Governor Folk
outlined his idea of Democratic plat
form for the coming campaign. He
said: II would like to see the Democra-
tic party the party of positive, aggres-
sive ideas, and not merely the party of
opposition to things suggested or done
by some one else"
An admirable sentiment and we'll cal
culated, as evidently intended, to strike |
a popular chord. But the governors at
tempt to elucidate the sentiment shows
that he has nothing to offer that is not |
already feature of Democratic policy.
What he calls for is essentially just
what was embodied in the national |
Democratic platform of 1904.
Governor Folk says: 'If I were asked
today to suggest a platform 1 should
have it declare for tariff for revenue
only; for protection for the people
against monopolies; for an income tax
and an inheritance tax; for strict regu-
lation of railroads and public utilities
that is government control, not govern
ment ownership; for the right of the
states for self-government as to all |
matters not delegated to the federal
government"
Not a suggestion is thus offered by
Governor Folk that has not been for
years a conspicuous feature of Demo-
cratic policy. And all the suggestions, |
as the reader readily perceives, are sa-
lient features of President Roosevelt's
later policies, which have caused the
rupture in the Republican party.
Thus we see that the principles to be
reaffirmed in the Democratic platform
Of 1908 will be unassailable by the
Republicans and will afford
no opportunity for kicking by rainbow
admirers on the Democratic side of the
political fence.