Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-10-24
TO TEST
SENTIMENT
Senator Bourne Offers
Cash Prize.

Washington, Oct 20.-Hcn. Jonathan
Bourne. Jr., of Oregon, United States
Senator, has taken a unique step TO test
the sentiment OF the country on the
Presidential situation. Through the
National Magazine, OF Boston. Mass, he
has offered cash prize reward of 81 900
open to the American people, for the
strongest and best.wrtten argument IN
suppo OF his following assertions
"First. That the sover .ign people.
and not Theodore Roosevelt. the in
dividual and public servant, will decide
who shall be his successor.
"Second. That Theodore Roosevelt
cannot decline second elective term
or attempt to name his successor with
out making his own personal desires or
egotlstical opinions paramount to the
com mbined wishes and intelligence OF the
Republican party and the electorate Of
the nation.
"Third. That Roosevelt's honesty,
courage, initiative, imagination, versa
tility, and tremendous capacity for
work, with heart and brain constantly
attumed to the peoples rights and COM
mands, and his insistence upon the en-
forcement rather than the avoidance Of
laws, and the protection of the rights
of men and property, thave to an un-
paralleled degree gained the COINCIDENCE
of all people; that IN the popular mind
Roosevelt, during his executiveship,
has demonstrated his ability and
determination to make good as the
peoples chief public servant. and not
their dictator; that this confidence, be-
ing brain deduction and not heart
emotion, is impossible of destruction
except by his betrayal; that by the
selection OF any other man, business
contraction and restriction must exist
during the period necessary for him to
demonstrate to the peoples satisfac-
ton his ability and determi cation to
make good, and, therefore, that, barring
death or serious illness, President
Roosevelt must and will be selected
and elected for second elective term"
The prize will be awarded March Is,
1908, the contest closing one month ear
lier. and three judges, gentlemen of high
standing, will be named shortly to pass
upon the arguments submitted.
Senator Bourne, speaking of this offer,
said tonight: Frankly, my purpose is
to secure discussion and agitation result
ing in conviction and crystaliization OF
opinion. Confident that the overwhelm'
ing sentiment of the country, regardless
of party, favors the denomination and re.
election OF Roosevelt, take this method
of inviting an expression on the subject.
The propositions set forth speak for
and the responses thereto
will, at least, tend to disclose the popular
feeling existing today. If the views
which l hold-and which are shared
fully, may add, by men from every
section with whom I am brought in con.
tact-are the views OF the American
people generally, then it is we'll to es-
tablish that fact and establish it at once.
The earlier the deu.o u.onstration, the better
for the country.
"Nothing more conducive to business
success and public tranquility could pos.
sibly occur at this time, in my opinion,
than the substitution of certainty for un
certainty regarding the Presidency. 1t
would be worth hundreds of millions OF
dollars to our material interests. The
business world would profit incal :ulably
bv the assurance or reinsurance such
certainty would bring. The administra-
tion's policies are accepted nd approved.
Only the knowledge that Roosevelt will
continue at the helm is needed to in
augurate new era of.prusperity on a
saferI and sounder bosis than ever
before. Call 1t a third term or a second
elective term, as you ike ; the exigencies
of the times demand that he serve four
wears more. 1t is patriotic duty which
he owes to his country. He cannot
shirk it, if he would, without making
self greater than country and forfeiting
the respect and public confidence lie
now holds. He will not shirk it once
the people make their wishes known.