Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1908-09-09

record already made by the Republican
party is noteworthy one and we must
make further advances with care anC
needed reflection. our progress viii
be- entrusted to safe hands and W,
| 4hall he fortunate in having a sailing
master wno knows his chart and who
will take quite ~ much account Of
reefs and shosls ~ Of the speed Of TIA,
vessel We have got our direction. ",
have most precious cargo and W,
| must have q .afc and experienced pilot
Mr.. Bryan says that the Democrat,
| platform els binding ~ 10 what il
oWits ~ well ~ 10 what IL contains.
| lie might have added that ii is as sig
| niiirant IN the one case ~ in the other
Lincoln said. 1" I'm the absence of form
ll written platforms the anteccdcnt-
~ candidates become their platforms.
!, may also be- said that in the pres
rncc 0f formal written platforms the
autcccdeuis Of candidates cannot be
forgotten. Silence is often eloquent
IN the election this fall we choose men,
not distractions. Platforms must bc
read in the light of history and they
may be eloquent of past mistakes and
misguided agitations which their spon.
sors would gladly ignore. but which
toe nation will do well 10 remember.
Candidates. Contrasted.
There are n thousand exigencies in
the affairs Of this great Nation which
cannot be forseen or attempted ~ be
controlled by any platform. Tho
sagacity, steadncss of cnaractcr. firm
ness and sound judgment Of the chief
executive must bc the security Of the
Nation in many trying emergency.
And IL il no injustice 10 Mr.. Bryan 5
attractive personal qualities, to his ef.
fectiVcncss ~ an orator. his skill as a
party leader nor is il any disparage.
ment of the purity of his motives 90
say that the man who espoused free
silver in 1896. renewed its advocacy in
1900 and later declared his belief in
government ownership Of railroads. can.
not be regarded rs safe leader to
whom may be confded the great pow.
crs Of the President merely because
those doctrines are omitted from his
present platform. The country needs
and fundamental principle. in whose
good judgment in any difficulty all may
feel secure, and such a man pre- emin.
emily * William H. Taft.
our opponents seem 20 regard the
questions before us rs simply involving
a program of legislation or " constI.
'utional amendment. But first and
chiefly we are clecting a President. the
executive Of the Nation. Nor should
We IN considering legislative proposals
forget this. Now there is no man in
the country betteS fitted properly to
preside over and direct the varied bust.
ness of the Executive Department than
Mr.. Taft. He already knows il thor.
oughly. He has rare executive ability.
No one is better qualified than ne 10
do the work which under the Constitu.
tion the President is called upon 10
perform.
The Supreme Court.
Not only will the coming election
directly affect the executive branch Of
the government. but IL Is most impor.
tant IN its relation TO the judicial
branch. Rarely has the choice of Pres.
ident involved more far.rcaching con.
sequences. For il is not improbable
tnat the next President will appoint M
least four judges Of the United States
supreme court. Upon these appoint.
ments will largely depend the quality
81 the Judicial work of this great court
Tor years to come. Congress may pass
laws, but the supreme court interorets
and CONSTITUTES them, and determines
their validity. The Constitution, with
It's guarantees of liberty and its grants
Of federal power, is finally what the
supreme court determines il To mean.
Upon the learning. wisdom and char
acter Of the judges of the supreme
court rests not merely the Just deter.
mination or tnc important matters of
private right which come before that
august tribunal, hut TO very large de-
gree the course of our political history
and the development and security Of
our institutions. In view of the vacan.
cies which in the natural course of
events will most probably occur during
the next few years, we must remember
that we are about 10 choose n repre-.
sentative of the people 10 whom is con.
hded the nomination Of federal Judges.
power second 10 none possessed by
the President. the exercise of which
calls for the highest Judgment. II we
should search the country for n dele.
gate OF the people who could be conf.
IDENTIFY entrusted with this important
duty, II Is probable that no one could
command higher reference than the
Republican candidate for President.
Himself Judge, learned in the wis
dom Of the law, he commanded the re-
speet and esteem of the entire bar of
the country. without regard to partisan
BY litigants and lawyers
alike II was felt that when he left his
important place upon tde circuit court
of appeals to undertake his difficult
duties in the Philippines. the judicial
branch OF the government had sus-
tanned most serious loss. And he has
long been regarded as one In every
way worthy to succeed the present
chief justice Of the United States.
with his fairness and acumen, with his
wide knowledge of the bar from which
The judges must be recruited, with his
broadmindedness and democratic sym.
Dathy and HIS keen iutoros. ,n al a..