The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-07-29
WEDNESDAY, JULY 70, 1908.
BRYAN ON

As the presidential candidat of the
democratic party, Mr.. Bryan's con.
ception of the.presidency is a matter
of general interest, even among peo.
pie who are not in accord with his pc.
litical theories. In an article pub.
lished in Golfers Weekly, the leader
of the democratic party says:
The most important requisite in q
president, as inIother officials, is that
sympathy shall be!with the whole PEG.
pie, rather than.with any fraction of
the population. He is constantly cal.
led upon to act in the capacity of q
judge-decidingl. between the impor.
tuntities of those.who seek favors and
the rights andlinterests:' of the public.
Unless his sympathies are right the
few are sure to have one advantage
over the many, for the masses have
no one to presentItheir claims. They
act only at elections, and must trust
to their representatives to protect
them from all their foes.
Second, the president must have a
knowledge of publiciquestions and the
ability to discerni between the true and
the false: he must be able to analyze
the conditions and to detect the soph-
istries that are always employed by
those who seek unfair adv antages.
He must possessithe moral courage
to stand against lthe influences that
are brought to bear in favor Of special
interests. In fact, Inequality Of NOR
al courage is as essential In q public
official as eitheriright sympathies or q
trained mind.
a president must have counsellors
and, to make wise.use!of counsellors,
he must be open to conviction. The
president is committed by his platform
to certain policies, and the platform
is binding: hei.is also committed to
certain principles of government and
these he is in duty bound to apply in
all matters t%hatlcome before him.
There ought to bescordisl relations
also between the president and those
who occupy positions Of influence in
the co ordinate branches of the govern.
ment, for our government is not a
one.man government, but a govern
ment in which'lthe chosen represent
atives of the peopleslabor together to
give expression to the will of the
voters.
But the presidency is the highest
position in the world, and its occu-
pant is an important factor in all
national matters. If he is a devout
believer in our theory of government,
recognizes the constitutional distribu.
ton of powers,E trusts thoroughly in
the people and fullyisympathizes with
them in their aspirations and hopes,
he has an opportunity to do q splendid
work; he occupies q vantage ground
from which.he can exert a wholesome
influence in Flavor of each forward
movement.
The responsibilities of the Office are
SO great that the occupant ought to be
relieved Of every personal ambition,
save the ambition to prove worthy Of
the confidenceaofihis c%ountrymen: for
this reason he ought to enter the pos
ition without though oriprospect Of a
second term.
While the burdenslof such an Office
are heavy andiwhile the labors of the
office are exacting and exhausting,
the field OF service is large, and,
measuring its greatness by service,
a president by converting himself to
the public weal,tLcan make himself
secure in the affections ofyhis fellow.
citizens while he lives and create for
himself a permanent,place in the ma
tion's history.