The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-06-18
ENTIRELY TOO FuLsoME.

| of the plank of Endorsement of tn
President 1t is hoped most earuestl
| that this first draft is not the planl
which will be finally adopted by TIL
| National Convention, but that it vii
be expurgated, clipped, and its extrava
gances much reduced. While every
one in the country wants Presiden
Roosevelt given strong praise for thu
undeniable good that he has accom-
plished, yet such language as thi
passes bounds:
I'm this. the greatest era of Ameri
can advancement the Republican Par
| ty has reached its highest service un.
der the leadership of Theodore Roose-
welt. His Administration is an epoch
| in American history. In no other pc
Rod since National sovereignty was
won under Washington, or preserved
under Lincoln. has there been such
mighty progress in these ideals of Gov
eminent which make for justice, equal
ity and fair dealing among men. The
highest aspirations of the American
people have found voice. The,
most exalted servant has come to rep
resent, not political sovereignty alone,
but the best aims and worthiest pSr-
OF all MS
American manhood and womanhood
have been lifted to a nobler sense of
duty and obligation. Conscience and
courage in public station and highest
standards of right and wrong in pri-
vate life have become the cardinal
principles OF political faith, capital ard
labor have been brought into closer
relations of confidence and interde-
pendence, the abuse of wealth. the
tyranny of power, and all the evils of
privilege and favoritism have been put
to scorn by the simple. manly virtues
of justice and fair play.
The great accomplishments of Presi-
dent Roosevelt have been, first and
foremost, a brave and impartial en-
forcement of the law, the prosecution
of Illegal trusts and monopoles, the
exposure and punishment of evildoers
in the public service, the more effective
regulation of the rates and service Of
the great transportation lines, the
complete overthrow of preference, re-
bates, and determinations; the arbitra-
ton of labor disputes. the amelioration
of the condition of wageworkers every
where, the conservation of the natural
resources of the country, the forward
step in the improvements of the inland
waterways, and always the earnest
support and defense of every whole
some safeguard which has made more
secure the guarantees of life, liberty.
and prosperity.
These are the achievements that will
make for Theodore Roosevelt his place
in history. But more than all else, the
great things he has done will be an in
spiration TO those who have yet great
er things TO do, we declare our I'M
faltering adherence to the policies thus
and pledge their contin-
uance under Republican administra-
ton of the Government"
1t will be interesting to contrast this
with the praise bestowed upon Abra-
ham Lincoln by the convention which
him at Chicago in 1864.
At that time distinguished journalist,
Henry ]. Raymond. editor of the New
York Times, was the Chairman of the
Committee on Resolutions, and his
trained mind had undoubtedly much to
do with fashioiiing the language in
which the President was Endorsed.
Resolved, That we approve and APP
plaud the practical wisdom, the I'M
selfish patriotism and answering fidel-
ty to the Constitution and the princi-
pies of American liberty with which
Abraham Lincoln has discharged, I'M
der circumstances of unparalleled diff
Guilty, the great duties and RESPONSE
bilities of the Presidential office; that
we approve and indorse. as demanded
by the emergency and essential to the
preservation of the Nation, and as
within ethe Constitution, the measures
and acts which he has adopted TO de-
fend the Nation against its open and
;ecFet foes, thai we approve, especially. |
The Proclamation of Emancipation, and
the employment as Union soldiers of
men heretofore held in slavery: andl
that we have full confidence in his de- |
termination to carry out these and all
,ther constitutional measures essential
% the salvation of the country into full
and complete effect
President Roosevelt is not the only
President by any means
who has had tremendous questions to
meet, and who did particularly well in
meeting them. Those OF us Of the |
elder generation naturally feel that we
,ar outweighing in Importance those
hat the present Administration hasi
In the eight years Of
President Grants Administration the
ssues of the great war had to be dis |
posed of. the status fixed of the 1000
he great enterprise of the Pacific Rail- !
road brought to completion, and
he conversion of the savage-haunted
West to the uses of man for peaceable
homes When we look back at the
magnitude OF what was done and
oil los
the issues of the present day seem
small.
President Hayes's Administration had
% deal with the termination of the re-
period, and above all with
he resumption of specie payments. The |
and the foundations laid sure and
strong for our manufacturing interests. |
which now lead the world. 1t would |
be difficult to mention anything done
oy the present Administration ap-l
in Importance the single ac
of developing our infant
industries. The battle
over a protective tariff and over sound |
money ragged furiously thru several Ad-
threatening at times to
urn back the hands upon the National
clock. This was only prevented by the |
yisest policy on the part of the Admin |
and the patriotism and~fore-
sight of the people who stood by Presi- !
dents Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur,
Harrison and Mckinley. Each Ad-
had tasks of momentous
and If is IN the high credit |