Omaha daily bee., 1912-08-08


spendthrift nation and must now hus-
band what we have left, We must do
more than that. We must develop, as
| well az preserve our water powers and
must add great waterways to the trans
portation facilities Of the nation, to sup
plement the railways within our bor-
ders a. well as upon the isthmus. We
must revive our merchant marine, too,
and flll the seas again with our fleets
We must add to our present postofflce
service a parcels post as complete as
that Of any other nation. We must look
to the health Of our people upon every
hand, as well as hearten them with
justice and opportunity. This Is the con-
structive work Of government This Is
the policy that has vision and a hope
that looks to serve mankind.
with regard to the development Of
greater and more numerous waterways
and the building up Of a merchant ma
rine we must follow great constructive
lines and not fall back upon the cheap
device of hounties and subsidies. In the
case of the Mississippi river, that grand
central artery OF our trade, 1t is plain
that the federal government must build
and maintain the levees and keep the
great waters in harness FOR the general
use. 1t is plain, too, that vast sums OF
money must be spent to develop new
| waterways where trade will be most
served and transportation most readily
cheapened by them. Such expenditures
are no largess on the part of the gov
ernment; they are national investments,
/ as.s Pahan, Canal. =
= The very fact that we have at las,
4 taken the Panama canal, seriously sIr
1 fiand and lsare vigorously pushing II
towards completion Ia eloquent OF our re-
awakened interest In International trade.
We are not building the canal and pour
ing out millions upon millions of money
upon It's construction merely to establish
a water connection between the two
coasts of the continent, important and
desirable as that may be, particularly
from the point of view of naval defense.
| ~ 10 H1uht w W. hlVSt
highway II would be little ridiculous
II we should build 1t and then have no
ships to send through It. There have
been years when not single ton OF
freight passed through the great Sue2
canal In an American bottom 80 empty
are the seas of our ships and seamen
We must mean to put an end to that
kind Of thing or we would not be cutting
q new canal at our very doors merely
for the use Of men-of-war. We shall
not manage the revival by the mere pal.
try device Of tolls. We must build and
buy ships In competition with the world
We can do it II we will but give our
selves leave.
There is another duty which the demo-
cratic party has shown itself grea,
enough to the people to perceive. the
duty Of government to share in promot-
| Ing agricultural, industrial, vocational
education In every way possible within
Its constitutional powers No other plat
form has given this intimate vision of a
party's duty. The nation cannot enjoy
its deserved supremacy In the markets
and enterprises Of the world unless Its
people are given the ease and effective
ness that come only with knowledge and
training. Education is part of the great
task of conservation, part OF the task OF
renewal and Of perfected power
"A presidential campaign may easily
degenerate into mere personal contest
and SO lose Its real dignity and sig
nificanee There Is no indispensable
man. The government viii not collapse
and so to pieces II any one Of the gentle.
men who are seeking 10 be entrusted witt
its guidance should be left at home. We
are but Instruments We are not as i'm.
portant as the cause We represent, and
In order to he important must really
represent cause. What Is our cause.
The peoples cause? That is easy to say
but what does II mean? The common a.
j against any particular interest whatever.
Yes, but that, too, nesds translation intt
acts and policies. We represent the de-
sire to set up an unentangled govern
ment. a government that cannot be useS
for private purposes, either in the fielt
OF business or in the field of politics;
government that will not tolerate the us.
of the organization Of great party Il
serve the personal aims and ambitions o.
any Individual and that will not permit
legislation to be employed to further an,
private interest. / heed with deep thank
fulness the message you bring me from
the country. feel thstI am surrounde.
by men whose principles and ambitions
are those of true servants OF the people
] thank God and will take courage"