The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-18
oDGE'S KEYNOTE.

| oDoE's KEYNOTE.
Old Ben Franklin. who was some
thing of q philosopher, once said he
could see no reason why a man should
not say nice things about himself if he
really believed they were true. The
Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge Of Massachu-
sets, permanent chairman Of the Chi
eago convention. evidently believes
with Franklin.
In his keynote speech delivered be-
fore the convention yesterday Senator
Lodge said a good many complimenta-
~ things about the Republican party,
some of them true. He had TO go back
fifty years 10 get the best of the true
praise, and ne overlooked the fact that
the original Republican party no more
resembled the organization of today
than Alexander Hamilton resembled
Speaker Cannon; that Lincoln would
be as lonesome in the Chicago conven-
ton as a summer girl in an Esquimau
village. However. as a bit of fulsome
self-eulogy. the speech was an admira-
bic effort; and as an idealisrs portrait
Of Roosevelt that portion of his speech
deserves framing with decorations of
angels wings, a few gold harps and a
rough rider halo.
Like most campaign documents, the
keynote is more striking for its omis-
sions than for its statements. 1t
speaks boldly of the Republican party's
restraint Of illegal combinations
cynical departure from truth that must
have amused his auditors. 1t promises
a continuation of the policies inaugu-
rated by Roosevelt, calmly forgetting
that the congress just adjourned
showed very clearly that the pres1-
dents policies are about the last things
that viii be'continued by a Republican
congress.
In his reference TO the party's record
OF financial honor. the senator was par
ticularly felicitous in his refusal 70
mention the recent enactment of a cur
rency measure under political pressure,
a measure which has earned the con-
demnatiOn of every intelligent student
Of finance and has been accepted by
the country only because it was the
only law to be had.
Nor does the most careful scrutiny
discover any proud reference TO the
record Of this session of congress. No
laudation of its great achievements, no
stirring eulogy Of Mr. Cannon's part in
the Republican party's wondrous
achievements; no praise for Payne OF
Dalzell or the other men conspicuous
in the proceedings: nothing but blan-
ket approval Of everything Republican
and condemnation for everything Dem
ocratic. It has been said by captious
critics of Mr. Lodges literary produc-
tions that he would be a great his
torian if he were only more careful as
TO his facts and a little more accurate
as TO his deductions from such facts
as he cites In which the Lodge ora
ton Of yesterday bears a remarkable
resemblance 10 the Lodge histories.
X r
Comment on the speech would be in
complete if it omitted reference to the
demonstration which followed the men
ton Of the president. For forty FIVE
minutes the convention and the spec
tators kept up a terrific hubbub. sup
posedly in compliment 10 Roosevelt
Remembering that a large proportion
Of the delegates are appointees or ben
ehciaries of presidential favor. it may
he truly said that they earned their
emoluments In this they were vocl-
ferously aided BY the men who are
anxious 10 have Roosevelt named for a
third term that they may have the
Measure Of slaughtering him at the
polls Chief among them were the fol-
lowers of the allies" the favorite sons
who have been sacrificed to make a
Chicago holiday for Taft and Roose-
welt. It was too bad that this wild en-
tnusiasm, this fervent outburst Of pa
triotic devotion to Roosevelt. should
have been chilled by Lodges cold COM
press applied immediately. I'm which he
said no friend Of the presidents would
urge his nomination
II east wind and wild cheers could
settle elections. the Lodge episode
would. of course. preclude the neeessi-
~ for a presidential contest Happily,
the Democrats Of the country have
survived even more remarkable demon
STATIONS than yesterdays. Blaine's