The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-05-05
Speech of Chairman of Republic
can State Convention Praises
the War Secretary.
SAYS FINANCIAL SYSTEM
is MENACE TO NATION
Argues That Grave Questions
Pending Settlement Should Be
Left to Republican Party.
[rrom a STAR correspondent.l

State convention today. declared that
President Roosevelt undoubtedly would
adhere to his determination not to &C.
cept a denomination, and lauded Seere-
tary of Wal Taft as the candidate upon
whom should fall the present admin
istration's mantle.
He stated that the present currency
system had outlived its usefulness ana
is a constant menace to the nations
domestic and foreign relations, The
fact hat four United States Supreme
Court Justices will be appointed during
the next presidential term he referred
to as one of many reasons why the Re-
publican party should be maintained in
w He continued:
This gathering of Republican repre-
sentatives in convention is our first
formal step In the presidential cam
paign now before us. The preliminary
struggle in the ensuing contest differs
somewhat from its last two predeees-
sors. In 1900 The sentiment Of the party
throughout the country, with great
u%nanimity, had determined long in adj
vance of the nomination to select for
its standard bearer that wise states
man, the larnented Mckinley. -Four
years later the delegates met i'm Chi
cago to ratify and execute the will OF
the Republican party. clearly known in
advance, by nominating for President
that dauntless leader, Theodore Roose-
welt.
This year a half dozen or more emf
nent Republicans are prominently men,
toned as candidates for the first place
on the ticket. Mr.. Roosevelt has de-
clared with an emphasis and a plain
ness of speech which cannot be mis-
understood that he is not and will not
be a candidate again nor accept the
nomination. To quote from his formal
statement to the American people on
the night of his election: 'On the 4th
of March l shall lave served three and
one-half years and this three and one
half years constitute my first term.
The wise custom which limits the
President to two terms regards the
substance and not the form and under
no circumstances will I be a candidate
for or accept another nomination Re-
uttering more recently his former ulti-
matum he added: I ave not changed
and shall not change the decision thus
announced
"Haying thus unalterabJy rendered
his decision Mr.. Roosevelt Is entitled to
have his wish respected. He Is also
entitled as n gentleman and especially
ms the President 10 hive his decIara-
tion received In good faith. Thus VOL
unfairly and unequivocnlIy eliminating
himself from the contest, an open field
is left for any aspirant to the success
sion. The eminence of the gentlemen
most prominently named, each with a.
1or0n fA1Iaxnf@r ~ -zA
and admirers, is such as to create a
doubt in the minds Of some as to the
ultimate choice. The Republican party
has an embarrassment of riches in
presidential timber. The country would
have a safe, wise and able President if
the choice were to fall upon that dis
tinguished gentleman whom the Ameri-
can people have already elevated to the
Vice-presidency, Mr.. Fairbanks-or
upon that experienced legislator whom
the House of Representatives have
twice elected to a position of influence
and power second in this republic only
to that of the President himself, Mr..
Cannon-or upon those eminent sons of
our ~neighborlng States on the east and
the west of MS, Mr.. Hughes or Mr..
knox-or upon that brave and brilliant
Senator from Ohio, MIR. Foraker.
Stands for Taft.
But II as 1t now seems probable and
as countless numbers of Republicans
hope, the mantle of Mckinley and
Roosevelt shall fall upon the ample
shoulders of u great Secretary of War,
Mr.. Taft, and his nomination shall be
ratified at the polls by an election in
November, as l doubt not it would be.
then the country will have "a President
courageous. progressive. vet conserva-
tive in judgment, diplomatic. learned in
the law, effective in execution, wise and
just in administration-in a word, n
President who in every sense rises to
the dignity n greatness of the Amer
lean republic itself, And II, in addition,
the national convention should turn TO
our own State. as it did in 1896. when
it nominated Hobart for Vice-President
Hobart, whose memor is dear to
every Jerseymar-and nominate for sec
ond place on the national ticket of 1908
a distinguished son of New Jersey, then
will our people accept the honor with
n gratitude, communication II dignity
becoming so important an event.
During the next presidential term
many grave questions will arise-ques-
tons which can best and only be prop
10y HNhNNa - NAh DdiAS ANsPOilSAOlC Aoi
our present greatness. Time viii not
permit nor is it necessary TO refer in
detail to any of these. You. as good
Republicans. all know our responsible
ties, our principles and our safe. sane
and effective way OF meeting all emer-
gencies and in providing for the nations
future welfare.
'The importance of II safe and scIen-
tihc financial system is already pressing
itself upon our attention, emphasized
by recent painful events. but constitute
ing an issue. the solution of which may
not be cache Until after the Inaugural
ton of a new administration. Ii is a
subject which Affects every phase of our
daily life and influences every item that
constitutes the sum of the happiness
and prosperity of all the people. Our
present system, mainly devised and put
into operation by the statesmen who
surrounded Lincoln, is undoubtedly the
best that could nave been established
for that time and under the conditions
then existing. IL served its purpose and
history justifies it and will forever de-
fend the wisdom of it's adoption. But
the day of it's usefulness is now past.
Changing conditions and the difference
in circumstances have destroyed Its