Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-07-03

toward tlillt ltilbI ltElSttl l'tl' tHt iui-
theriug Of the worlds peace through
the approval of The Hague proposals.
the admission If New Mexico and Ari-
IONA as separate states ard the nation
al centenary of the birth of Abraham
Lincoln
Positive and Aggressive.
The spirit displayed throughout the
document is one of construction aud
optimism. 1t is q platform made by
builders. 1t may not 20 as far rs
many wished that ii might. but so far
as il does go it sounds no negative
note 1t claims much. promises much
and even boasts much, but shows the
goods 1t IS positive aud aggressive.
thoroughly partisan. as is but natural,
but beyond its partiSanism characters
tica,ly and whuleSomely American.
1t has been remarked of recent years
that the platforms Of the two great
parties in their essentials have grown
more and more alike. and one in read
ing the Republican declarations Of 1905
cannot but be struck by the fact that
the utterauccs Of the two conventions
must he more than ever alike this year
The Republicans declare for tariff re-
vision. and the Democrats will declare
for tariff revision more emphaticaliy
ana more Immediately. The Repub-
/ leans are for the Limitation of niuuc-
tionS and stronger labor legislation.
Z 1pnpyf1ts tt-il ~ In,
more drastic limitation of iujuuCtions
and stronger labor legislation The
/ Republicans are for the regulation
/ of railroads and of trusts The Dem
ocrats can only he for more strin-
gent regulation of both, perhaps not
/ bearing down so much on the national
( pedal and more on that Of the state
! Neither can the Democrats make an is
/ sue against postal savings banks. con
/ servatiOD of natural resources. aid of
| good roads, the building Of the Panama
canal, but can only 20 their friends the
enemy one better. Where. then. will
! be the issue?
! 1t is a fact more and more apparent
/ as the years go by that in the great
| mass Of governmental actions whether
! Legislative executive or judicial, there
Is no politics. On most OF the QueS-
tons that come before congress there
| IS no division or at least no division on
| party lines. The same Is true even of
the platforms that the parties put be-
fore the people. On most Of the Qucs-
tons advanced there is no issue What
are the lines on which the coming cam
paign will he fought? What are the
declarations in the Republican plat
form that will form the battle-ground?
Issues of the Campaign.
UnqueStionably the tariff will be one.
although the Republicans declare for
revision Immediately after the inaugu-
ration of the next president Just as
unquestionably the currency will be
second issue, though the definite atti-
tude of either party in regard to needed
legislation is not very clear as yet
Mr.. Bryan will urge his insurance of
bank depositors, a thing over which
the people refuse to become excited
He will oppose features of the emer-
gency bill passed by the present CON
gress, but what he will offer instead is
in the dark almost as much so as what
additional steps the Republicans them
selves will propose 1t strikes the
average man that the financial ques-
ton just now is a thing for careful
and constructive craftsmanship rdth-
err than a political question of any sort
| whatsoever.
There is sure to be some issue raised
on publicity of campaign expenditures.
! possibly on physical valuation of rail
ways and probably on one or two
minor issues. In the main. however.
1t would seem that the fght must he
on the personalities of the candidates
and the methods of their selection. on
the manners and policies of the presi-
dent and who will most perfectly con-
tinue his policies. if not his manners,
and in good natured rivalry as to
which party is most strongly in favor
of tariff revision. trust and railroad
legislation, labor legislation and cur
rency reform.
In order to determine what the line
of battle may be. however. it is well
- set forth definitely and succinctly
INST what the Republican platform
,sands for. After the preamble. which
- a necessary evil in all platforms.
dealing with history more or less an
cient and in this case somewhat long
the platform proper gives in very clear
and definite language certain pledges
and promises for the future.
AS already stated, the first plank Is