The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-19
Temporary Chairman National
Republican Convention
Reviews His Party's History on
Taking Up GaveI.
HE PAYS TRIBUTE TO TAFT
And Praises the Work of His
Administration.
In Line With Policies of Nc
KinIey and Roosevelt.

Chicago, June Ex-senator Elihu Root.
IN making his speech as temporary
chairman, of the national Republican
convention, said:
Gentlemen of the conventional be-
lieve that 1 appreciate this expression
of confidence. I wish 1 were more COM
petent for the service you require OF
ne-
THE struggle for leadership in the
Republican party which has SO long
engrossed the attention and excited
the feelings of its members is about
TO be determined by the selection of
candidate. The varying claims of opin-
ion for recognition in the political creed
of the party are about to be settled
by the adoption of platform.
The supreme council of the party in
this great national convention repre-
senting every state and territory in
due proportion. according to rules long
since established. is about to appeal
to the American people for continu-
ance of the power of government which
the party has exercised with but bricf
interruptions for more than half
century, and that appeal is to be based
upon the SoundneSs of the principle
approved, and the qualities of the can
didates selected by the convention. "a
In the performance of this duty by
of it's conclusions by Republicans, is
TO be applied the ever-recurring test OF
n party's fitness to govern it's coher-
ence and its formative and controllin;
power of orga nization. And these de-
mend upon the Willingness of the mem
bers of the party to subordinate thei1
varying individual opinions and post
none the matters of difference between
them in order that they may act in
unison upon the great questions where
h. IT, -
the members of the party to subordi
nate their varying individual opinions
and postpone the matters of difference
between them in order that they may
act in unison upon the great questions
wherein they agree; upon the willing
ness and capacity to thrust aside the
disappointment which some of them
must always feel in failing to secure
success for the candidates of thelI
preference; upon the loyalty of party
members to the party itself, to the
great organization whose agency IL
government they believe to be for the
best interests of the nation, and for
whose continuance in power their love
of country constrains them to labor.
Without these things there can be
no party worthy of the aname. Without
them, party association is a rope OF
sand, party organization is an ineffec-
tive form, party responsibility disap-
pears, and with it disappears the right
to public confidence. es>sN
Necessity of PARTIES.
without organized parties, having
these qualities of conference and 10y
atty, free popular government becomes
a confused and continual conflict be-
tween a vast multitude of individual,
opinions, individual interests, individual
attractions and repulsions, from which
effective government can emerge oniy
by answering to the universal law OF
a in
ing parties
Throughout our party's history in
each presidential election we have gone
to the American people with the con-
fident and just assertion that the Re
publican party is not mere fOrtuitous
collection of individuals, but is a CO.
herent and living force as an organiza-
ton. 1t is effective. responsible, worthy
of confidence, competent to govern.
The traditions of it's great struggles
for liberty. for the supremacy of law.
for the preservation of constitutional
government, for national honor exer-
else a controlling influence upon its
conduct.
The lofty purpose of its great or
iginators has been transmitted by spir-
itual succession from generation t.
generation of party leaders, and it is
no idle rhetoric when we say, as we
have so often said and are about tC
say again, to the American people:
We are entitled to your belief in
the sincerity of the principles we pro-
fess and the loyalty of our candidates
to those principles, because we are the
party of Lincoln and Sumner, and Sew
ard and Morton and Grant, and Hayes
and. Garfield and Arthur and Harrison
and Blaine and Hoar and Mckinley
I'VE claim that we are entitled to a
popular vote of confidence at the
coming election because we have
demonstrated that we are the party
of affirmative, constructive policies
for the betterment and progress of
our country in all the fields upon
which the activity and influence of
government can rightly enter. We
claim it because we have shown our
selves a party of honest, efficient and
economical administration in which
public moneys are faithfully applied.
appointments are made on grounds of
merit, efficient service is vigorously
exacted. graft is reduced to a mini
mum, derelictions from official duty
are sternly punished and high
standard of official morality is main
tained.
Republican Policies.
I'VE challenge the judgment of the
American people on the policies of
Mckinley and Roosevelt and Taft.
President Taft, in his speech of
acceptance on the 2Sth of July, 1908,
paid a Just tribute to the great SER
vice rendered by his predecessor in
awakening the public conscience, in
augurating reforms and saving the
country from the dangers of a pluto
cratic government. He instanced the
railroad rate law, the prevention OF
railroad rebates and determinations,
the enforcement of the antitrust law,
the pure food law, the meat inspec-
ton law, the general supervision and
control of transportation companies,
the conservation of natural resources
and he proceeded to say:
= The chief function of the next
administration. in my judgment, is
distinct FROM and a progressive de-