The Washington herald., 1908-09-06
BATTLE BEGINS.
Continued from Page One

1 a desperate assault vas made upon the
credit OF the country and the integrity
I OF private debts L was an attack UPON
/ our fundamental securities and our be-
I lief as 10 the sincerity OF the motive
serves only 10 magnify the dangerous
character Of the attempt and the unwis-
dom OF the leadership which inspired It.
with the problems created by an IN
{ paralleled prosperity, came a new leader
dear 20 the peoples heart. He entered
upon his work with courage and deter
nination, and four years ago he received
an overwhelming vote OF popular conf
/ dence.
For seven years. with lofty ain and m
conquerable spirit, he has labored for The
people, and to-day by virtue Of his sin
cere devotion 10 their welfare. his valiant
I attack upon evil in high places. his zeal
for the common interest. whether in the
protection Of the public domain or In IN
siSte0ce upon the freedom Of interstate
I trade. or IN the maintenance Of high
standards OF administrator or in the
recognition Of the rights Of labor or IN
I the care Of our natural resources. the
Iorceiui and representative leader IS +vpi-
led 70 the popular Imagination in the
person OF Theodore Roosevelt
WrOnsdoinE Punished.
In the management Of internal affairs
honesty and efficiency have been insisted
upon Looters Of the public domain tboea
endeavoring TO maintain combinations in
unlawful restraint OF trade. and those
seeking TO profit by unjustlv dfscrin-
mating rates and Illegal rebates have
been taught respect for the law.
A3r- Bryan says that the Democratic
platform is binding as % what If onfts
as wei as TO what it contains He r.s,-r-
have added that T. is as significant in
the one case as IN the other lincoln
said. In the absence Of formal written
platforms the autecedents Of candidates
I become their platforms II nav also he
said that IN the presence Of formal writ
ten platforms the antecedeuts OF csndf-
dates cannot be forgotten. Silence is
often eloquent II the election this fan
We choose men, not distractions.
1T is no injustice 10 1Ir. Brvan-s at
tractive personal qualities. 10 his effect
iveness as an orator. his skill as a party
leader nor IS It any disparaEement Of the
purity of his motives 20 say that the man
who espoused free silver in 1895. renewed
its advocacy in 1900. and later declared
his belief in government ownership Of
railroads cannot be regarded as a sa fe
leader 10 whom may be c0nfded the great
powers Of the President merely because
those doctrines are omitted from hi pres
ent platform The country needs a man
l--ff II
damentai principle. in whose good judg-
ment in any difficulty all may feel Sc
cure and such a man pre-eminentlv IS
William H Taft
There is no man in the country better
fitted properly to preside over and direct
the various business Of the Executive de-
partment than Mr.. Taft He already
knows It thoroughly He has rare execu-
tive ability. No one is better qualified
than he to DO the work which. under the
Constitution, the President IS called upon
to perform.
Law Not to Throttle Business.
1t IS the function Of law to define and
punish wrongdoing, and not to throttle
business In the fields Of Industrial activ-
ity the need is that trade should be fair;
that unjust Determinations and Illegal al
lowances giving preferential access to
markets should be prevented; that coer-
Give combinations and improper practices
10 stife competition should be dealt with
regardless OF individuals: but that honest
industry, obtaining success upon its mer-
its. denying no just opportunity to its
competitors, should not be put under pro-
hibiuons which mingle the innocent and
the guilty in common condemnation
The line Of progress les not in arbI-
trary action but in securing suitable pub
Lcity and supervision, and by accurate
definition Of wrongs and the inffictfon Of
proper punishment The processes Of Jus
tee may be slower and more laborious:
but if we desert the lines Of soberness and
fair play 10 get quick results through ar
bitrsry interferences with trade. We shall
find that such short cuts lead only 10 dis
aster-
The DemOcratic party seeks, as AIr
Bryan cOnstrUes its platform. 10 over
throw protection and TO establish a reve-
nue. tariff He insists on an overthrow
Of the entire system Of protection. thus
threatening the dislocation Of trade and
the most serious disturbance Of industry
He seeks not tariff revision, but tariff rev
oluton.
Guarantee of Bank Deposits.
The plan proposed by the Democratic
platform to provide for a guarantee Of
bank deposits is also open to serious OBJ
lection The plan proposes 10 make the
honest and prudent banks meet losses for
which they are in no way responsible.
AIr- Bryan says that all bar kius restric-