Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-10

candidates and policies. They laid theii
companies and other corporations and
turned the plumber over to the republican
committee; The money thus filched from
publican victory, has not been repaid.
Where They Are At.
And where do we find these men today
Where are the swollen fortunes Of which
we nave heard SO much? Just where we
would expect to find them-supporting the
republican ticket and furnishing the sinews
OF war for Tue republican committee as
The platform adopted by the late conven-
ton shows what the republican party in
truth represents. In framing the platform
every genuine reform which the president
mas advocated was sCorned and repudiated.
The Wisconsin delegation asked that one
or two reform planks be placed In the plat
form, and for its pains was denounced as
democratic: The convention by a vote of
s to l refused to approve those policies
which the president for four years has been
urging upon his party. The mask of by
those who pretend to favor the reforms
advocated by the president and 1t is now
and hates the senator frosl Wisconsin.
When compelled to choose between an ap.
peal to the conscience OF the nation in de
tense OF It's platform and candidates, on
the one hand, and the millions that the
special interests may be dependent upon
to contribute on the other, that convention
go hNNlAN o'N A' 49,
anee with Mammon.
If the charges made by the president are
true-and they are true-we are indeed face
TO face with a situation as grave as any
in our history. How shall ii be met? The
good sense, patriotism and united action
Of the people alone can remedy present
evils.
Look to the Leader.
To wage a successful fight we must have
a leader, The republican party, dominated
by the seekers of special privileges, cannot
furnish him. Republicans who really de-
sire reform are powerless; the efforts OF
the president have been futile.
The democratic party must furnish the
leader which present conditions demand
and he must be a man known to be free
from the influences that control the re-
publican party. He must be a man of su-
perior intellect, sound Judgment, positive
convictions and moral courage-one who
will meet the forces of plutocracy with the
naked sword of truth-one who knows no
surrender. He must have a genius for
statecraft; he must be a man Of wide ex-
perience in public affairs; he must have
ability TO formulate policies and courage
to defend them. But, above all, he must
believe in the right OF the people to gov
ern, but in their capacity to do SO; and he
must be a man whom the people know and
Tn democratic party has many distin-
guished men who might be chosen as our
standard bearer, but it has one mar who,
above ell others, possesses the necessary
qualifications and Is eminently fitted for
this leadership. He Is a man whose nomi-
nation Will leave no uOuDl as 10 where our
party stands on every public question; his
genius for statecraft is shown by the con-
structive work he has done IN proposing
reforms and by the ability with which he
has fortified his position. But we may go
farther.
A Few months since he visited the princl-
pal nations of the world. He came in con-
tact with the leading minds of christen-
dom, and the world, abroad. recognized his
greatness and paid him that tribute justly
due to men Of high attainments.
aEnoawa and n-aua and Earnaat
In the most distinguished peace conven-
ton that has in recent years
he proposed a plan which,, II adopted,
trSttion pt fostt thst Tba yet been made. and
by his influence has secured its approval
by the representatives of the twenty-siX
leading nations there assembled.
Is he thoroughly informed regarding the
issues of this campaign? Read his speeches
and his writings, which for nearly twenty
erature OF the nation. Is he sincere. brave
and determined? Even his political oppo-
nents now admit that he is.
l have had a close personal and political
acquaintance with this man, whose name
Nebraska presents, since he eptered polit-
zeal life. / can testify from observation
as to his political conduct before he was
known to fame. He was honest, brave and
unyielding then; he is honest, brave and
Honesty is inherent in him. He was an
honest lawyer before he entered politics;
he was honest in his political methods be-
A'AN AAA' w. -
the nation, and he has been honest
his political career. His con-
~victions have been his political creed; he
has impressed these convictions upon 9TH
ers, not by dictation, but by arguments
addressed to the Judgment and the con-
science.
Believing In the ultimate triumph Of the
right, he has never Xamined Question
from the standpoint of eXpediency; he has
never inquired whether a political princi-
ple was popular; II has been sufficient for
him TO believe that 1t was right. He has
rights OF the state. He favored the cleo
tiOn OF senator's by direct vote before the
house OF representatives ever acted faVora-
bly, upon the subject; he championed tariff
reform when the west was the hotbed OF
protection.
He favored an income tax before the in
come tax law was written; he attacked
the trusts when republican leaders were
denying that any trusts existed; he adVo-
Gated railroad regulation before the cru
sade against rebates and discrimination
began.
His Friendship fog
He has always been the friend OF labor
and was among the first to urge concllia-
tton between labor and capital He began
than a decade ago; he announced his OPP
position to imperialism before any other
man Of prominence had expressed himself
on the subject, and without waiting to sec
whether IL would be popular.
When a Wall street panic burst upon us
as a remedy the guaranty OF bank deposits,
and so popular has this plan become that
II is today a national issue and supported