The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-09-05

shoals as of the speed Of the vessel.
We have got our direction, we have
a most precious cargo and we must
have safe and experienced pilot
Mr.. Bryan says that the democratic
platform "is binding as to what 1t
omits as we'll as to what in contains" !"
He might have added that 1t Is as
significant in the one case as in the
other. Lincoln said, I'm the absence
of formal written platforms, the an
tecedents of candidates become their
platforms" 1t may also be said that
in the presence OF formal written
platforms, the antecedents Of candi-
dates cannot be forgotten. Silence is
often eloquent. In the election this
fall we choose men, not distractions.
Platforms must be read in tho light
of history and they may be eloquent
Of past mistakes and misguided agi-
tations which their sponsors would
gladly ignore. but which the nation
will do we'll to remember.
Candidates. COntrasted
There are a thousand exigencies in
the affairs of this great nation which
cannot be foreseen or attempted to
be controlled by any platform. The
sagacity, steadiness of character,
, firmness and sound judgment of the
chief executive must be the security
of the nation in many trying emer-
gency. And it is no injustice to Mr..
Bryan's attractive personal qualities,
to his effectiveness as an orator, his
skill as party leader, nor is it any
dispragement of the purity of his
motives to say that the man who es-
poused free silver in 1896, renewed
It's advocacy in 1900 and later declar-
ed his belief in government owner
ship of railroads, cannot be regarded
as safe leader to whom may be con-
fided the great powers of the presi-
dent merely because those doctrines
are omitted from his present platform
The country needs man rock bas-
ed in sound conviction and fundamen-
tai principle. in whose good judg-
ment in any difficulty all may feel
secure; and such man preeminent-
ly is William H. Taft.
Our opponents seem to regard the
questions before us as simply involv'
constitutional amendment. But first
| duu ClllSllS we dtc SloSltllE ~
dent, the executive of the nation
Nor should we, in considering legis-
lative proposals., forget this. Now
there is no man in the country better
fitted properly to preside over and di-
rect the varied business of the exc
cutive department than Mr.. Taft. He
already knows it thoroughly. He has
rare executive ability. No one is bet
ter qualified than he to do the work
which under the constitution the
president is called upon to perform.
The Supreme Court
Not only will the coming election
directly affect the executive branch
of the government. but it is most i'm
portant in it's relation to the judicial
branch. Rarely has the choice of
consequences. For it is not improb-
point at least four judges Of the
United States supreme court. Upon
those appointments will largely de-
pend the quality of the judicial work
of this great court for years to come.
Congress may pass laws, but the SUI
preme court interprets and construes
them and determines their validity
The constitution, with its guarantees
of liberty and its grants of federal
power, is finally what the supreme
court determines it to mean. Upon
the learning, wisdom and character
of the judges of the supreme court
rests not merely the just determina-
tion of the important matters Of pri-
vate right which come before that
august tribunal, but to very large
degree the course of our political his
tory and the development and secur-
ity OF our institutions. In view of
the vacancies which in the natural
course of events will most probably
occur dufing the next few years, We
must remember that we are about to
choose a representative of the people
| to whom is confided the nomination
of federal judges, a power second to
none possessed by the president, the
exercise of which calls for the high
est Judgment. If we should search
the country for delegate Of the peo-
Eple who could be confidently entrust-
ed with this important duty, 1t is
probable that no one could command
higher confidence than the Republi-
can candidate for president Himself
judge, learned in the wisdom of the
law, he commanded the respect and
esteem of the entire bar of the coun-
trq. without regard to partisan divi-
sion. BY litigants and lawyers alike
it was felt that when he left his i'm
portant place upon the circuit court
of appeals to undertake his difficult
duties in the Philippines. the judicial
branch Of the government had sus-