The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-04-16

On July 2, 1863 the field of Gettysburg 100000
encamped in two hosts drawn up line of battle against
each other. They had certain things to fight out The
issues between them sharp and well defined; and
when Pickett charged Cemetery ridge the next day Yan
and Johnny engaged each other with whole hearted sin
gehanded bravery that to stir the blood every
American heart to this day. Those armies knew what
they were about. The meaning of that campaign was
cear and when Lee drew back from the baptism Of fire
at Gettysburg the world knew that defeated
1t is pity that cannot have issues clearly de-
fined, and battle delivered frankly in this presidential
campaign But cannot. The words Yank and Johnny
meant something. Do the words republican and demo-
crat? No.
If the two armies lay asleep the night of July g.
1863 overpowerng command had gone forth chang
ing the whole alignment, the fight would have been some
thing like the presidential campaign of 1908 Suppose this
OverpOwerng command had drawn line at right angles
with the lines of battle and set off the right wing of Lees
army with the left of Meade and said to them You be-
long togeher!" And to the left wing of Lee and the
right of Meade, it had been said You belong together
Now fight the army the other side of this new ine
1t would have made confusion, would it not?
Longstreet and Pickett, Stuart and Early, would have
been put into relations with Meade and Hancock and
Sedgwck and Sheridan. The two new armies made up of
dsunted halves of the old foes would have been under
their old rallyng cries, following their old flags Their
outward arrangements would not have correspondent to
their duties
So is with the parties Call it Organism or call it
Rooseveltism, overpowerng force has drawn a line
right across the old battle line, and the who really
compose the armies of today wearing party badges
which distinguish the old armies rather than the new
What is the issue today?
The issue is, ''Shal the curbing of monopoly, the
struggle for the square DEAL go on, shall it cease'
Roosevelt, Bryan, Cummins, Hoke Smith, LaFollette
CONNER of Alabama-they the leaders of one side
some of them party democrats and some party repub
Aldrch Allison Parker Daniel, Bailey Foraker, Sui
llvan Whitney, Haethese the generals of the other
And some of them democrats and republicans
And the private soldiers used to calling themselves
democrats and republicans, confused The old
ralyng cries will be raised all hands, for the purpose
of lining up the voters according their memories rather
than their convictions The tomoms are already sound
ing to call the cold line" republicans democrats to the
colors.
What colors? The TARIFF The fruits of the war; The
gold standard? Free silver? All as dead for this year
as the old slogan of Fifty -fourforty fght" The
voter is being called to vote his memories not his
views
The armies will get lined up on the new issues all in
their new uniforms, with rallyng cres-sometime-
perhaps In the meantime the must do individually
what the party organizations will not do this year-sift
out the issues for themselves Don't vote for uniforms or
for party flags for party yels. They have all lost their
meanings Watch the results of the conventions and vote
your principles If your principles dominate your party
convention very well; if not why, vote your principle
anyhow.