The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-21
rontlnued from yesterday.)

Continued from yesterday.)
 parties the voter has but one alterna- tive. If he finds himself betrayed by the party which represents the principles in which he believes, he can only resent the abuse of his conf1- dence and register his protest by vot- ing against the public official-the agent of his party-who has violated voter. to my mind, MT. President. are as deep and abiding as the convic- tions of any Member of this body.
 The voters in 1908 voted against standpatism. They did more; by their votes they directed their representa- tives to revise the tariff downward hut, in the interests of the labor of this country. to fix the duties high enough to measure the difference in production cost. And just as em- phatically as they voted for such re- vision they voted against a revision below that point; against revision as expressed in the Democratic platform and represented by Col. Bryan, the Democratic candidate. There was not that the elections of 1910 resulted in a Democratic triumph. It was not a Democratic triumph: 1t was Republi- can defeat-not a defeat, MT. RDest- dent. of Republican principles.
 The Republican Party is not com posed solely of Republicans who hold office, but of the millions and millions organized around certain ideas, seek ing the specialization of those ideas in legislation through the agents se- lected by the party and put forward as its candidates for office. A ma- jority of these agents had betrayed their principal; there was but one way for the principal to punish such agents and warn others that they must not transgress in like manner and that was to vote for the Democratic op- ponent of the Republican who served the system That is what the cleo tion of 1910 meant.
 MT. President, a platform promise is a covenant with the voter, upon which he stakes his faith and his in- terests. He gives the party his SUD- port; he invests it with his author fty; he makes it possible for the par ty to control in government. The obligation of the party is made the more binding because 1t seeks out the citizen, urges acceptance of its pledges presses them upon his consideration, proclaims again and again it's pur- pose to keep them in letter and spirit. The party makes the citizen it's so- licitor, secures his good offices to re- peat it's promises, proclaim its prin- ciples. and enlist in its ranks his neighbors and friends. Having secur- ed his support. his influence, his vote. the party is in honor bound to keep it's pledged word.
 But the political party can only ex- ecute it's contract with the voter and redeem it's pledge to the public through the medium of it's candidates when elected to office through the will of the majority. Upon the public off, cial, then, as the custodian of the party honor. falls the full weight of the party obligation. He can not play fast and loose with clearly under stood party promises and maintain a semblanee of official integrity. He has no more moral right to quibble and evade than he would have to sduander trust funds committed to his Keeping If this be counted too exact standard for public service to-day. be sure that it will not be so regarded tomorrow The citizen is feing rapidly enlightened through dis appointment and betrayal He is fast acquiring definite ideas as to the right relation of the political party to gov ernr1ent and of the public official to the public service.
 President Roosevelt was so strong 1v ir1trenched in the confidence and af- fections of the American people that fhev were ready to set aside tradi- fion that has been preserved since inc time of Washington-to elect him for . thixd term as their President.